GRAPHYi 
F TEXAS 

SIMON DS 






Class 



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Book 3 S^\ 
Copyright N^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



TlIK 

GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

PHYSICAL AND POLITICAL 



BY 



FREDERIC WILLIAM SIMONDS, Ph.D. 

Pkofessok of Geology ix The U>'Ivek.sitv 
OF Texas 



The eilucated fitizeii .slioiild kimw the state in Avhich he livei« 



GINN & COMPANY 

BOSTON . NEW YORK • CHICAGO • LONDON 






Two Qopies rtecMvoij 

SEP. 1 i9U5 

Qowrjgni tnw _ 

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Copyright, 1905, by 
FREDERIC WILLIAM SIMONDS 



ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

55.8 



Cf)c atfteneeum Bregg 

GINN & COMPANY • PRO- 
PRIETORS . BOSTON . U.S.A. 



PREFATORY NOTE 

In the preparation of this text, which necessarily covers 
a somewhat varied field, I have, in general, been guided 
by the following works : 

ON PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY 

The Reports of the Geological Survey of Texas, under the direction 
of E. T. Dumble, state geologist. Austin, 1890-1893. 

'• Notes on the Physical Geography of Texas," by Ralph S. Tarr. 
Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences. Philadelphia, 
August 29, 1893. 

" The Physical Geography of TlTe Texas Region," by Robert T. 
Hill. Folio 3 of the Topographic Atlas of the United States. Wash- 
ington, United States Geological Survey, 1900. 

« Physical Geography, Geology, and Resources of Texas," by E. T. 
Dumble. Chapter IV, Volume 2, of .4 Comprehensire History of 
Texas, edited by Dudley G. Wooten. Dallas, William G. Scarff, 
1898. 

"The Geology of the Edwards Plateau and the Rio Grande 
Plain adjacent to Austin and San Antonio, Texas," by Robert T. 
Hill and T. Wayland Vaughan. Eighteenth Annual Report of the 
United States Geological Survey, Part II, pp. 193-321. Washington, 
1898. 

"Geography and Geology of the Black and Grand Prairies, 
Texas," by Robert T. Hill. Twenty-First A nnual Report of the United 
States Geological Survey, Part VII. Washington, 1901. 

"A Gazetteer of Texas" (second edition), by Henry Gannett. 
Bulletin of the United States Geologiccd Survey, No. 224 (Series F, 
Geography, 36). Washington, 1904. 

V 



vi PREFATORY NOTE 



ON WATER POWER AND IRRIGATION 

"Tlie Water Power of Texas," by Thomas U. Taylor, C.E., 
M.C.E. Transactions of the Texas Academy of Science, Volume IV, 
Part II, No. 4. Austin, 1902. 

"Irrigation Systems in Texas," by William Ferguson Ilutson. 
Water-Supphj and Irrigation Papers of the United States Geological 
Surrey, No. 13. Washington, 1898. 

"Rapid Progress in Irrigation," article in the Texas Almanac and 
State Industrial Guide for 1901. Published by the Galceston-Dallas 
News. 

"Rice Irrigation in Texas," by Thomas U. Taylor. Bulletin of 
The University of Texas, No. 16. Austin, 1902. 

" Rice Growing on the Coastal Prairies," article in the Texas 
Almanac and State Industrial Guide for 1904. Published by the 
Galveston-Dallas News. 

ON CLIMATE 

" The Climatic Conditions of Texas, especially with Reference to 
Temperature and Rainfall." Report of the Chief Signal Officer 
[A. AV. Greely] of the Army. Fifty-Second Congress, First Session, 
Executive Document No. 5. Washington, 1892. 

"The Climate of Texas," by Isaac Monroe Cline, M.A., M.D. 
United States Department of Agriculture, Weather Bureau, Texas 
Weather Service, Special Bulletin No. 4. Galveston, 1894. 

ON VEGETATION 

" The Ecological Relations of the Vegetation of Western Texas," 
by Dr. William L. Bray. Contributions from the Hull Botanical 
Laboratory, XXX. The Botanical Gazette, Chicago, Volume 32, 
August, September, and October, 1901. 

" Texas Forests and the Problems of Forest Management for tlie 
Long-Leaf Pine Lands," by Dr. William L. Bray. The Forester, 
Volume 7, pp. 131-138. Washington, June 7, 1901. 

" The Timber Pines of the Southern United States," by Charles 
Mohr, Ph.D. Bulletin No. 13, United States Department of Agri- 
culture, Division of Forestry. Washington, 189G. 



PREFATORY XOTE vii 

''Forest Resources of Texas," by AVilliam L. Bray. Bulletin 
No. 47, United States Department of Agriculture, Division of 
Forestry. Washington, 1904. 

" The Timber of the Edwards Plateau of Texas," by William L. 
Bray. Bulletin No. 49, United States Department of Agriculture, 
Division of Forestry. Washington, 1904. 



ON FAUNA 

"American Animals," by Witmer Stone and William Everitt 
Cram. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1902. 

" Handbook of Birds of the Western United States," by Florence 
Merriam Bailey. Boston and New York : Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 
1902. 

" Key to North American Birds," by ElHott Coues. Boston : Dana 
Estes & Co., 1903. 

" The Crocodilians, Lizards, and Snakes of North America," by 
Edward Drinker Cope. Report of the United States National Museum 
for 1898, pp. 153-1270. Washington, 1900. 

" The Poisonous Snakes of North America," by Leonhard 
Stejneger. Report of the United States National Museum for the 
Year ending June 30, 1893, Part II, pp. 337-487. Washington, 
1895. 

" The Poisonous Snakes of Texas, with Notes on their Habits," 
by J. D. Mitchell. Transactions of the Texas Academy of Science, 
Volume V, pp. 19-48. Austin, 1903. 

ON MINERAL RESOURCES 

The Reports of the Geological Survey of Texas, under the direc- 
tion of E. T. Dumble, state geologist. Austin, 1890-1893. 

Bulletins 1-5, inclusive, of The University of Texas ^Mineral Sur- 
vey, William B. Phillips, director. Austin, 1901-1902. 

The Mineral Industry, edited by Richard P. Rothwell. New 
York: The Scientific Publishing Company, 1893-1900. 



viii PREFATORY NOTE 

OX HISTORY 

" Historical Sketch of Texas," by George Pierce Garrison, Ph.D. 
Chapter II of The Government of the People of the State of Texas. 
Phihidelphia : Eldredge and Brother, 1900. 

Texas a Contest of Civilizations, by George P. Garrison. Boston 
and New York: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1903. 

ON GOVERNMENT 

The Constitution of the State of Texas. 

The Government of the People of the State of Texas, by George 
Pierce Garrison, Ph.D. Philadelphia : Eldredge and Brother, 1902. 

ON EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 

Official Reports. 

ON RAILROADS 

Reports of the Railroad Commission of the State of Texas. 

" The Railroads of Texas, with Glimpses of the Country through 
which they pass." The Texas Almanac for 1868, pp. 118-116. Gal- 
veston, 1868. 

" The Development of the Present Texas Railway System," by 
R. A. Thompson, Assoc. M. Am. Soc. C. E., chief engineer. Railroad 
Commission of Texas. Transactions of the Texas Academij of Science, 
Volume TV, Part I, pp. 57-80. Austin, 1901. 

ON POPULATION, AGRICULTURE, AND MANUFACTURES 

Reports of the Twelfth Census. 

I desire to record here my indebtedness to my colleague, 
Dr. George P. Garrison, and to the Hon. R. L. Batts, of 
the Austin bar, for valuable suggestions relating to his- 
tory, government, and education ; also my indebtedness to 



PREFATORY NOTE ix 

Dr. II. Y. Benedict, for substantial aid in selecting repre- 
sentatives of the bird fauna, and to Mr. R. A. Thompson, 
chief engineer, and Mr. H. G. Askew, auditor, of the Rail- 
road Commission of Texas, for assistance in the preparation 
of the railroad statistics. I am furthermore indebted to 
Dr. William B. Phillips, late director of The University of 
Texas Mineral Survey ; to Dr. William L. Bray, head of 
the School of Botany ; to Dr. A. M. Spurgin ; and to Mr. 
J. M. Kuehne for the use of many excellent photographs, 
reproductions of which appear among the illustrations. 
My thanks are also due to my assistant, Mr. Alexander 
Deussen, for suggestions and help such as can only be 
given by one closely associated with the writer in his work ; 
to Mrs. Grace Murray Stephenson for the final reading of 
the manuscript; and to Dr. H. E. Bolton for expert 
advice covering numerous difficult points. Many of the 
diagrams, tracings, and maps used in the text have been 
skillfully drawn by Mr. John W. Pritchett, a student of 
the Engineering Department of the University. 

FREDERIC W. SIMOXDS 
School of Geology 
The University of Texas 
July, 1905 



CONTEXTS 



CHAPTER I. — The State — Introduction — Location— I'-^^^^s 
Boundaries — Area — Political Divisions — Cities and 
Towns 1-^ 

CHAPTER II. — Geology — The Relation of Geology to 
Physical Geography — Kinds of Rocks— Sedimentary 
Rocks — Igneous Rocks — Altered or Metamorphic 
Rocks — The Rocks of Texas — The Geological Map 

— Recent and Neocene Systems — Eocene System — 
Cretaceous System — Jura-Trias System — Permian 
System — Carboniferous System — Ordovician and 
Cambrian Systems — Archaean System 6-14 

CHAPTER III. — Relief and Soils — Classification of 
Relief — Region of the Gulf Slope — The Coastal 
Plain — The Forested Area — The Rio Grande Plain 

— The Black and Grand Prairies — Region of the 
Central Basin — Region of the Plateaus — Region of 
Mountains and Basins — Soils — Residual Soils — 
Transported Soils 15-30 

CHAPTER lY. — Surface and Underground Waters 

— Kinds of Drainage — The Gradient of Some Texas 
Rivers — Navigation of Rivers — Lakes — Water Power 

— Irrigation — Artesian AVater — Springs .... 31-38 
CHAPTER V. — Climate — Rainfall — The Distribution 

of Rainfall by Months — Temperature — Cold Waves, 

or "Northers" — Winds — Sunshine 39-48 

CHAPTER YI . — Yegetation — General Statement — 
Forests — The East Texas Timber Belt — The Post 
Oak Country and the Cross Timbers — The Forest 
Growth of the Edwards Plateau — The Trans-Pecos 



xii - CONTENTS 

Forest Growth — Vegetation of the Coast Prairie — pages 
Vegetation of tlie Rio Grande Plain — Vegetation of 
the Prairie Plains and the Plateaus — Life Zones — 
Characteristic Plants and Animals 49-02 

CHAPTER VIL — Fauna— The Animal Life of Texas 

— Mammals — Birds — Reptiles and Amphibians — 
Fishes — Invertebrates 63-81 

CHAPTER VIIL — Industries — Agriculture — Cotton 

— Cereals — Fruit and Vegetables — Nuts — Other 
Agricultural Products — Stock Raising — Wool Grow- 
ing — Poultry, Honey, and Wax — j\f anufacturing — 
Manufacturing Industries 83-95 

CHAPTER IX. — Mineral Resources — Coal and Lig- 
nite — Oil (Petroleum) — Asphaltum (Mineral Pitch) 

— Natural Gas — Iron Ores — Quicksilver or Mercury 

— Gold and Silver — Cojiper and Lead — Salt — Sul- 
phm' — Gypsum, Lime, and Cement Rocks — Clay — 
Building and Ornamental Stones — Fertilizers . . . 90-111 

CHAPTER X. — Railroads — The Pioneer Railroads — 
Railroad Construction during and since the Civil War 

— Railroad Systems : Southern Pacific System ; Gould 
System ; Santa F^ System ; "Katy " (Missouri, Kansas, 
and Texas) System ; Denver System ; Rock Island Sys- 
tem ;" Frisco " System — Other Railroads . . . .112-120 

CHAPTER XL — Important Events in Texas History 

— Early Attempts at Settlement — French and Span- 
ish Claims. The Missions — Spanish Rule and the 
Anglo-American — The Louisiana-Texas Boundary. 
Magee's Invasion — Lafitte — Long's Invasion — Aus- 
tin's Colony — Mexican Irritation — The Texas Revo- 
lution — The Alamo, Goliad, and San Jacinto — The 
Republic of Texas — The State of Texas 121-129 

CHAPTER XII. — The Government — The Legislative 
Department — The Executive Department — The Judi- 
cial Department — Presidents of the Republic of Texas 

— Governors of the State of Texas 130-133 



CONTENTS xiii 

CHAPTER XTIL — Education — The Tiiblic Schools — i'-^ges 
The Permanent School Fund — The Perpetual School 
Fund — The Available School Fund — Sam Houston 
Normal Institute — North Texas State Normal Col- 
lege — Southwest Texas Normal School — Prairie View 
State Normal and Industrial College — The Girls In- 
dustrial College — The Agricultural and Mechanical 
College of Texas — The University of Texas — The 
University Endowment — Denominational Colleges — 
Libraries — Eleemosynary Institutions — Penal In- 
stitutions lo'l-148 

CHAPTER XIV. — Population — General Statement — 
Elements of Population — Native White Population 

— Colored Population — Foreign-Born Population . . 1-40-155 
CHAPTER XA". — The Principal Cities of Texas — 

San Antonio — Dallas — Houston — Galveston — Fort 
Worth — Austin — Waco — El Paso — Laredo — 
Denison — Sherman — Beaumont 157-195 

CHAPTER XVI. — Cities and Towns having between 
Five and Ten Thousand Inhabitants — Paris — 
Corsicana — Palestine — Tyler — Gainesville — Mar- 
shall — Cleburne — Temple — Greenville — Terrell — 
Brownsville — Brenham — Hillsboro — Texarkana — 
Bouham 196-204 

CHAPTER XVII. — Cities and Towns having between 
' Twenty-Five Hundred and Five Thousand In- 
habitants — Ennis — Weatherford — Corpus Christi 

— McKinney — Gonzales — Waxahachie — Taylor — 
Denton — Victoria — Brownwood — Navasota — 
Orange — Belton — Sulphur Springs — Longview — 
Bryan — Yoakum — Cuero — Abilene — Cameron — 
Calvert — INIarlin — Jefferson — Georgetown — San 
Angelo — Crockett — Bowie — Smithville — Rockdale 205-216 

APPENDIX — The Counties of Texas: Name, Area, 

Popidation, and County Seat 217-224 

INDEX 225-237 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



The State Caj'titol at Austin Frontispiece 

FIG. PAGE 

1. Fragment of Limestone showing Patellina texaua .... 7 

2. Geological ]Map of Texas 9 

3. Diagram illustrating the Arrangement of Strata in the 

Gulf Slope 10 

4. White Drifting Sands in Ward County 11 

5. Ram's-Horn Oyster 12 

6. A Relief Map of Texas IG 

7. Delta Shore Lines of the Texas Coast 17 

8. Delta and Distributaries of Trinity River 18 

9. Ideal Section in Eastern Part of the Forested Area ... 19 

10. View on the Plains between Childress and ^latador ... 21 

11. Childress. " A City of the Plains " 22 

12. Scene on Stockton Plateau. Fort Stockton in the Distance 23 
l^>. Scarp of the Staked Plains, Blanco Canyon, Crosby County 24 

14. Northeast Point of Chisos Mountains, Brewster County . 25 

15. East End of Elephant Head, Brewster County 26 

IG. Study Butte, Brewster County 26 

17. Black Mesa, Brewster County 27 

18. View towards the Foothills of Quitman ]\Iountains ... 28 

19. Pump Canyon, Rio Grande at Langtry 33 

20. Casa Canyon, near Devil River 33 

21. Marble Falls on the Colorado River. A Natural Dam . . 35 

22. Artesian Well on Bosque Farm, Four ]\Iiles West of Waco . 36 

23. Map showing the Artesian Water Areas of Texas ... 37 

24. Map of Texas showing the Mean Annual Rainfall in Inches 40 

25. Diagram of the Mean Monthly Rainfall at Six Stations . 41 

26. Map of Texas showing the Mean Annual Temperature and 

the Iron and Quicksilver Areas 43 

27. Eighty-Five Varieties of Texas Cacti 50 

XV 



xvi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

FIG. PAGE 

28. Map of Texas showing the AVooded Areas 51 

29. Swamp and Bayou Scene near Beaumont 53 

30. Palmetto and Oak Growth on the East Fork of San Jacinto 

River 53 

3L Long-Leaf Pine Forest of the Louisiana-Texas Area ... 54 

32. Cedar Growth on Hill West of Shoal Creek, Austin ... 56 

33. Rocky Mountain Cedars and Oaks on the Summit of Chisos 

Mountains, Brewster County 57 

34. Cottonwood Timber, Saucito, Presidio County 57 

35. Live Oak Motte, West of Austin 58 

36. The Staked Plains. Yucca and Grass 59 

37. INIap of Texas showing the Life Zones 61 

38. Mexican Boll Weevil 64 

39. Nine-Banded Armadillo 65 

40. Texas Peccary or Wild Hog 65 

41. American Bison or Buffalo 66 

42. Mocking Bird 68 

43. Cardinal or Redbird 68 

44. Lark Sparrow or Lark Finch 68 

45. Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher 68 

46. Texas Bob White 70 

47. Killdeer 70 

48. Ring-Billed Gull 72 

49. Horned Lizard 73 

50. Harlequin or Coral Snake 75 

51. Cottonmouth or Water jNIoccasin . 76 

52. Edwards' Massasauga 76 

53. Texas Rattlesnake 77 

54. Channel or Eel Cat 79 

55. Yellow or Mud Cat 79 

56. Large-Mouthed Black Bass 79 

57. Red Snapper 80 

58. Southern Flounder 80 

59. Cotton in the Railroad Yard at Houston 82 

60. Cotton Crop of the United States, Season of 1902-1903 . 84 

61. :Map of the Texas Cotton Belt 85 

62. A Texas Cotton Field 86 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xvii 

63. Map of Texas showing the Rice Belt and the East Texas 

Fruit Region 8" 

64. Japanese Rice Farmers near Port Lavaca, Calhoun County 89 

(35. Rice Threshing at Raywood, Liberty County 89 

()(). Texas Cowboys ^1 

07. Cattle at a Water Tank on the Plains 91 

68. Diagrammatic Illustration of the Number of Neat Cattle 

in the Leading States 92 

69. A West Texas Ranch House 9- 

70. A Pecos County Ranch House 93 

71. Angora Goats, Boquillas, Brewster County 93 

72. ]\Iap of the North Texas Coal Field 97 

73. A Texas Coal Mine, Thurber, Erath County 98 

74. I^Iap of Texas showing the Lignite, Coal, and Petroleum 

Areas ^^ 

75. The Beatty Gusher, Beaumont Oil Field, 1901 . . . .100 

76. Scene in the Sourlake Oil Field, Hardin County . . . .101 

77. A Burning Gas Well near Corsicana 103 

78. The Terlingua Mining Company's Furnace (Quicksilver), 

Terlingua, Brewster County 104 

79. Quarry at Granite Mountain, Burnet County 109 

80. A Part of the Pecos River Viaduct 116 

81. The Alamo, San Antonio l-'J' 

82. Sam Houston Normal Institute, Main Building, Huntsville 136 

83. Sam Houston Normal Institute, Peabody Library Building 136 

84. North Texas State Normal College, Denton 137 

85. Southwest Texas State Normal School, San Marcos . . .138 

86. Girls Industrial College of Texas, Denton 139 

87. View of a Part of the Campus of the Agricultural and 

Mechanical College HO 

88. Agricultural Building, Agricultural and Mechanical College 141 

89. The University of Texas, Main University at Austin . . 142 

90. The University of Texas, Medical Department at Galveston 143 

91. A Partial View of the State Institution for the Blind, 

Austin 146 

92. Deaf and Dumb Asylum (Texas School for the Deaf), 

Austin l^*^ 



xviii LIST OF 1LLU8TKATI0XS 

i"n;. PACE 

U'.]. State Insane Asylum, Austin 147 

94. Southwestern Insane Asylum, San Antonio 147 

J)5. Diagrammatic Illustration of tlie Increase of Population 

in the State, 1850-lOUO 149 

9<). ^lap of Texas showing the Distribution of the Xegro Pop- 
ulation by Counties l.jl 

97. ]Map of Texas showing the Distribntion of the ^lexican 

Population by Counties l.")2 

98. ]\Iap of Texas showing the Distribution of the German 

Population by Counties 153 

99. Alamo Plaza, San Antonio l')Q 

100. Diagrammatic Illustration of the Increase of Population in 

San Antonio, 1870-1900 ir)7 

101. Diagrammatic illustration of the Numerical Strength of 

the Foreign Population of San Antonio ir)8 

102. Courthouse and Main Plaza, San Antonio l.">9 

103. Federal Building, San Antonio 1.'39 

104. City Hall and Military Plaza, San Antonio 101 

105. View on West Commerce Street, San Antonio . . . .101 

106. The ]\Iissions near San Antonio 103 

107. Dallas County Courthouse, Dallas 105 

108. Main Street, Dallas 1G5 

109. Dallas Public Library IGG 

110. The Wilson Office Building, Dallas 1G7 

111. Railroad Map of the Dallas-Fort Worth Regi(,u . . . .1G9 

112. Map showing Houston as a Railroad Center 171 

113. Business Block in Houston 172 

114. Houston High School Building 173 

115. AVharf Sheds and Steamships at Galveston 175 

IIG. Building the Galveston Stia Wall 17G 

117. A Completed Section of the Galveston Sea Wall . . . .177 

118. View from the Top of the Galveston Sea AVall . . . .177 

119. Galveston, looking West from the Courthouse . . . .178 

120. Tarrant County Courthouse, Fort Worth 179 

121. Texas and Pacific Passenger Station at Fort Wortii . . 180 

122. Post Office, Fort Worth 181 

123. Carnegie Public Library, Fort Worth 182 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xix 



I'K 



l'A(iK 



124. City Hall, Fort Worth > IS'i 

125. General (State) Land Office, from Capitol Grounds, Austin 184 

126. Federal Building, Austin 184 

127. Seton Infirmary, Austin 185 

128. View of a Part of El Paso, showing Blount Franklin . .188 

129. El Paso County Courthouse, El Paso 188 

130. City Hall, El Paso ISO 

131. An El Paso Smelter 190 

132. A^iew in the Corsicana Oil Field 197 

133. County Map of Texas 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



CHAPTER I 
THE STATE 

1. Introduction. Geography is preeminently the science 
which treats of the earth and its phenomena in their rela- 
tions to mankind. From this point of view an attempt will 
be made in the following pages to present those features 
which render Texas especially attractive as a dwelling place 
for man: its location in the South and on the Gulf of 
Mexico ; its vast extent of territory ; its rocks and great 
variety of soils ; its relief, which, exclusive of the Trans- 
Pecos mountains, ranges from a few feet on the coast to 
four thousand feet in the Panhandle ; its rivers, available 
for water power and irrigation ; its springs and artesian 
wells; its climate, including rainfall and temperature, 
winds and sunshine — a climate varying from semitropical 
and humid in the southeast to arid, semiarid, and temperate 
in the west and northwest ; its forests and other vegeta- 
tion ; its native animals and game ; and its agricultural, 
stock, and mineral resources. Furthermore, attention will 
be directed to the sacrifices made by man in securing a 
just and stable government and to the magnificent results 
of his labor thus far attained as shown by the largest 

1 



2 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

railroad mileage of any state in the Union, the excellent 
public institutions maintained, and the many beautiful 
cities and towns already built. 

The chief source of the wealth of Texas lies in its 
enormous acreage of arable lands, which even now^ produce 
supplies not only for home consumption but for other 
countries as well; and yet their present yield but faintly 
indicates that of the future which, by improved methods 
of cultivation, will be increased many fold. 

2. Location. Texas may be easily located. If a map of 
our country be examined we shall find, first, that, with the 
exception of Florida, it is the most southerly state ; and, 
second, that although a '* Gulf state," its position is mid- 
way between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. If it 
be located on the earth's surface by means of latitude and 
longitude, we sliall find it to lie between the parallels of 
26° and 36° 30' north and the meridians of 93° 30' and 
106° 30' west from Greenwich.i 

3. Boundaries. A state or country is usually bounded 
by naming the adjoining states or countries. Thus Texas 
is bounded on the north by Arkansas, Indian Territory, 
Oklahoma, and New Mexico ; on the east by Louisiana 
and Arkansas, and, in the Panhandle region, by Oklahoma ; 
on the south by the Republic of Mexico and the Gulf of 
Mexico ; and on the west by New Mexico and the Republic 
of Mexico. 

The geographer may employ another method. He may 
bound a state without mention of the neighboring political 
divisions. With the map of Texas before us let us trace 
the boundary of the state. We may begin at the outlet of 

1 Gannett, '-A Gazetteer of Texas." Bullet in of the United States 
Geological Survey, \o. 224, {). 9. AVashington, 1004. 



THE STATE 3 

Sabine lake in the southeast. Passing northward through 
that body of water, we ascend the Sabine river to a point 
where it crosses the 3 2d parallel. Here our course becomes 
due north until we reach the Red river. Ascending that 
stream until the 100th meridian is reached, we again turn 
due north and so continue to the point of meeting of the 
parallel of 36° 30', where we turn to the west. Following, 
now, that line until the 103d meridian is reached, we turn 
our faces southward and continue in that direction to the 
3 2d parallel. Here we agaiu change our course, following 
that parallel to the Rio Grande. Lastly, descending that 
river, we follow the Gulf coast to the starting point. 

The Gulf of jNlexico, Sabine lake and river, Red river, 
and the Rio Grande are natural boundaries ; the lines 
followed, running in this instance north and south and 
east and west, are the surveyed boundaries. 

4. Area. A glance at the map of the United States will 
show that Texas is the largest state in the Union. For 
this reason it contends with New York for the title of 
'* Empire State." Its area is 265,780 square miles. As 
about 3490 square miles are covered with water, the land 
surface may be estimated at 262,290 square miles. 

If we compare the area of the state with that of the 
United States, exclusive of Alaska and the Philippines, 
we shall find that it forms between the eleventh and 
twelfth part. If we compare it with the southern states 
east of the Mississippi, we shall find that it exceeds the 
combined areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 
Alabama, and Florida by over 12,500 square miles, or two 
sevenths of Tennessee. Compared with France and Ger- 
many, it exceeds the former by 61,633 square miles and 
the latter by 57,087 square miles. 



4 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

The distance across the state in two directions, namely, 
from the point of intersection of the 3 2d parallel and the 
Rio Grande to that of the 31st parallel and the Sabine 
river, and from the mid point of the northern boundary of 
the Panhandle to the mouth of the Rio Grande, is about 
the same. It may be roughly stated at 770 miles. 

5. Political Divisions. Texas is divided in 244 coun- 
ties, of which 230 are " organized," that is, have county 
officers for administering the laws and for conducting 
their business affairs, and 14 are " unorganized," chiefly 
on account of the scarcity of inhabitants. The latter are 
in the region of the Llano Estacado, on or near the Texas- 
New Mexico boundary, west of the 101st meridian and 
north of the Rio Pecos. Dallas County has the largest 
population, 82,726, and Bailey the least, 4.i In area the 
counties vary greatly, from Rockwall with 171 square 
miles to El Paso with 9353 square miles. In their physical 
features, products, and, in not a few instances, inhabitants, 
there is also a wide divergence ; but as these variations 
are usually characteristic of larger sections of the state 
than counties, they are susceptible of broader treatment. 
As a matter of fact, the county must be considered as a 
convenience on the part of the state, its officers as agents 
in the enforcement of local government. 

6. Cities and Towns. There are in Texas twelve prin- 
cipal cities, the populations of which range between ten 
and fifty-five thousand. Of these San Antonio is first, 
followed in regular order by Dallas, Houston, Galveston, 
Fort Worth, Austin, Waco, El Paso, Laredo, Denison, 
Sherman, and Beaumont. There are also fifteen cities 
having populations between five and ten thousand, namely : 

1 Report of the Twelfth Census, 1900. 



THE STATE O 

Paris (9358), Corsicana, Palestine, Tyler, Gainesville, 
Marshall, Cleburne, Temple, Greenville, Terrell, Browns- 
ville, Brenham, Hillsboro, Texarkana, and Bonham. Of 
the smaller cities and towns in the state there are twenty- 
nine having populations between twenty-five hundred and 
five thousand, and sixty-six having populations between 
one thousand and twenty-five hundred. 



CHAPTER II 
GEOLOGY 

7. The Relation of Geology to Physical Geography. There 
is a close relation between the underlying rocks of a coun- 
try and its surface features, such as relief, soil, water 
supply, mineral resources, climate, and life. If we are to 
understand the physical geograpliy of Texas, we must 
know something of its rocks^ their composition and dis- 
tribution, their position, whether horizontal or inclined, 
their susceptibility or resistance to the eroding or carving 
effects of atmospheric and aqueous agents, their disin- 
tegration and decay, — in brief, we must study its geology. 

8. Kinds of Rocks. Rocks may be classed in various 
ways. For our purpose they may be grouped into three 

divisions : 

1. Sedimentary or Stratified Rocks. 

2. Igneous Rocks. 

8. Altered or Metamorphic Rocks. 

9. Sedimentary Rocks are those which have been formed 
in water — we usually say deposited in water. They are 
made up of layers, or strata (singular stratum)^ and for 
that reason are called stratified rocks. 

Some sedimentary rocks have been formed by the wast- 
ing away and decay of older rocks. Such, for example, 
are shale, which is hardened mud or silt, and sandstone, 
which is composed of grains of a hard mineral called 
quartz. Others have been formed from the shells and 



GEOLOGY 



skeletons of sea and fresh- water animals, such as oysters, 
clams, and other mollusks, corals, and the like. By the 
dashing of the waves along the shore they have been 
broken into fragments, or even ground to a pulp. From 
such material limestones have been formed. 

Again, far out upon the surface of the sea there are 
found myriads of lowly animals called foraminifers, living in 
minute shells. They die and their shells fall to the bottom, 
where, mingled with other deep- 
sea deposits, they form ooze. This 
is the first stage in the forma- 
tion of a rock called chalk, which 
is another kind of limestone. 

It sometimes happens that 
water in which mineral matter 
is dissolved evaporates. When 
this takes place the mineral mat- 
ter will be deposited in beds or 
strata. Beds of 7'ock salt and gi/jJ- 
sum have been formed in this way. 

Of the rocks found in Texas, 
sedimentary rocks are by far 
the most abundant. 

10. Igneous Rocks are those which have been formed 
by the cooling of melted mineral matter. Such rocks are 
common about volcanoes. They are also found at times 
filling cracks and fissures in the earth's crust. If they have 
been formed in masses far below the surface, they are now 
seen only where the overlying beds have been worn away. 

As examples of igneous rocks mention may be made of 
granite (so named from its crystalline or grainlike struc- 
ture); basalt, a dark volcanic rock which is cut by joints into 




Fk;. 1. A Fragment of Lime- 
stone FROM ONE OF THE CrE- 

TACE<u s Beds of Texas 

Showing the shells of a large Fora- 
ininifer named Patellhia texarm 



8 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

many-sided columns ; piwiice^ a hardened rock froth ; and 
lava of various kinds. 

In Trans-Pecos Texas there are lava outpourings ; on the 
Coastal plain a few widely separated outbreaks of basalt ; 
and in Burnet and Llano counties outcrops of granite. 

11. Altered or Metamorphic Rocks are either sedimentary 
or igneous rocks which have been changed by the action 
of heat. They have been baked in the presence of mois- 
ture and sometimes under great pressure. The effect of 
this varies with different rocks. Some are only hardened ; 
others are changed in a chemical way, new minerals being 
formed by the rearrangement of the matter of which they 
are composed ; and others still are altered in color and in 
general appearance. These are some of the results of 
ynetamorphism (change). 

As an example of this change may be mentioned the 
hardening of some sandstones into a rock called quai'tzite^ 
or the alteration of ordinary limestone into marble. 

Some altered rocks break easily in the direction of their 
bedding, — the minerals of which they are composed are 
arranged in bands or layers. Such rocks are termed schists. 
Others break into thin plates across their bedding. They 
are slates. 

12. The Rocks of Texas. With the exception of a small 
area known as the "Burnet country," or "Central Mineral 
region," all of Texas east of the Staked plains, as well as 
the region of the Edwards and Stockton plateaus, is under- 
lain by rocks of marme origin, that is, by sea deposits. The 
Staked plains, however, are capped by nonmarme deposits. 

In the Trans-Pecos region of mountains and basins there 
are found not only marine and nonmarine deposits but 
also igneous and altered rocks. 



GEOLOGY 



13. The Geological Map. The various rock systems^ 
arranged in the order of their age, the youngest or latest 



GEOLOGICAL MAP 

TEXAS 




H ^ Eocen. 

G 

1> g^ Carbonirerous 

I 1 Dttoiiiau and f Not Reprmenttd 

t- I ISilniUi. I inlheStaw 

a OrdovLUn and 

■ Camhnai 

Atj ItVj Ar.hean 

Aiifflif 



Fig. 2 

formed at the top and the oldest at the bottom, are as 
follows ; 

9. SiUiriaii.^ 

10. Ordovician. 

11. Cambrian. 

12. Archaean (bottom). 

Their distribution in Texas is shown on the accompany- 
ing geological map. It will be seen that the}^ outcrop, for 

1 At present not known in the state. 



1. Recent (top) 

"2. Xeocene. 

o. Eocene. 

4. Cretaceous. 



5. Jura-Trias. 

6. Permian. 

7. Carboniferous. 

8. Devonian.^ 



10 THE (;eo(;rapiiy of texas 

the most part, in a series of more or less parallel belts or 
strips running in a northeast and southwest direction. 
Moreover, until the Staked plains are reached, each belt, 
beginning with that bordering the (lulf of Mexico, is of a 
greater age than the preceding. The rocks of the liuriiet 




FlCi. 3. DlACiKAM ILLUSTRATING THE AkKAXGEMENT Ol StKATA 
IN THE GlLF ISlOI'E 

After R. T. Hill 

The layers incline or dip from the northwest to the southeast, that is, towards 
the Gulf. The upper surface on the left represents the outcroppings of 
successively older strata as the distance from the Gulf coast increases. The 
side view represents a geologic section in which the order of superposition 
of the strata is shown 

country before mentioned form an exception to this 
statement. 

14. Recent and Neocene Systems. The latest formed 
marine rocks are those bordering the coast. They are made 
up of sand, clay, and silt, and in them are found the remains 
of animals, chiefly shells, now living in the Gulf. This first 
belt, which underlies the Coastal plain, is of the Recent and 
Neocene systems. On account of their great similarity, 
they have not been separately indicated on the map. 

It is well to remember in this connection that, geologic- 
ally speaking, a rock need not be hard, but that any matter 
forming a part of the earth's crust is a rock, be it a mass 
of granite or a bed of sand or clay. 

The Staked plains formations have also been classed 
as Recent and Neocene, but, unlike the preceding, they 



GEOLOGY 11 

are of iionmarine origin. The liecent deposits which are 
here found on the surface consist of silt, sand, gravel, 
and sometimes bowlders. Beneath them are encountered 
the rocks of the Neocene system in the form of sands, 
clays of various colors, sandstones, and limestones. 

Along the southwest border of the Staked plains the 
Neocene beds rest upon those of the Cretaceous, but north 






Fig. 4. White Driftixg Sands, Six Miles Xorth of Moxahan's, 
Ward County 

of the Double ^lountain fork of the Brazos river they 
rest upon the Jura-Trias. Some of the strata afford fossils 
representing parts of the skeletons of such animals as the 
elephant, horse, and camel, 

15. Eocene System. The outcropping beds of Eocene 
rocks form the second belt across the state. They are 
composed of sands, sandstones, clays of different colors 
from white to black, thin-bedded limestones, etc. Beds of 
Vtynite, an inferior kind of coal, are often found. 



12 THE GP:0GRAPHY of TEXAS 

The lignite beds are usually lens-shaped — thick in the 
middle and thinning out towards the margin — and of 
limited extent, thus differing from true coal seams wliich 
usually form continuous layers over large areas. In some 
instances the lignite beds have a thickness of twelve or 
more feet. 

Petrified wood and gypsum are also found in the Eocene 

formation, and in East Texas beds of workable iron ore. 

The presence of oil and natural gas should also be noted. 

16. Cretaceous System. Further inland the outcropping 

Cretaceous rocks form a rather broad band stretching from 

the Red river to 
the Rio Grande. 
Viewed as a whole 






they are lime- 
stones, but there 
Fig. 5. R am 's-Horn Oystek (£xofif?/ra arieima) are also beds of 

This fossil, characteristic of the Delrio formation Sand, clay, and 
of the Texas Cretaceous, occurs in great abun- g}jr^}g Some of the 
dance at several points on Shoal creek, Austin 

chalky beds con- 
tain the remains of foraminifers. Other limestorf^s are 
composed of mollusk shells, either whole or in a fragmental 
state. In short, we find in the rocks of this system both 
deep-sea and shore deposits. 

The Black and Grand prairies, as well as the Edwards 
plateau, are underlain by Cretaceous limestones. Creta- 
ceous sands are the reservoirs of a large artesian water 
supply ; and an upper member of the system, the Taylor 
formation, is the source of oil at Corsicana. 

17. Jura-Trias System. Skirting the eastern scarp of the 
Staked plains there is a narrow band of nearly horizontal 
strata composed of sandstone and a coarse pebbly rock 



GEOLOGY 13 

called conglomerate, together with clay. Its proper posi- 
tion is between the rocks of the Permian system and those 
of the Cretaceous. Generally speaking, however, it appears 
between the Permian rocks and the Staked plains for- 
mations already described, the Cretaceous rocks being 
absent. 

18. Permian System. Rocks belonging to the Permian 
and Carboniferous systems appear, for the greater part, 
in a basin lying between the Staked plains and the Grand 
prairie (consult the relief map). The line of contact be- 
tween them is not yet well established. Beds that have 
hitherto been called Permian occupy the western and 
larger part of the basin. Here are found clay, sand, 
limestone and gypsum deposits. On account of their 
widespread red color they are usually spoken of as the 
"Red beds." The occurrence of Permian rocks in the 
Guadalupe mountains and in their southeastern extension, 
the Delaware mountains, El Paso county, has been recently 
reported. 

19. Carboniferous System. These rocks form the " buried 
floor" upon which the Cretaceous rocks were deposited. 
They consist of limestones, shales, and sandstones, together 
with seams of coal, several of which are valuable. Beds of 
clay are also found. The term " Coal measures " is often 
applied to these rocks. Carboniferous deposits are also 
known in the Hueco and Diablo mountains and at other 
points in the Trans-Pecos country. 

20. Ordovician and Cambrian Systems. The oldest strati- 
fied rocks found in Texas occur in two rather limited areas 

one near El Paso, and the other near the center of the 

state surrounding exposures of granites and schists. In 
the last mentioned region the Ordovician rocks are in the 



14 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

form of thick, heavy-bedded limestones, while those of the 
Cambrian are chiefly sandstones alternating with limestones. 

21. Archaean System. Beneath the rocks of the Cambrian 
system there is a series of beds which have been named 
the " Llano group." It consists of schists and other 
altered rocks which, with the underlying and intruded 
granites, represent the Archaean system. 

Granite is a rock made up of quartz, feldspar, and mica. 
The feldspar is often of a pinkish color, and it is this min- 
eral which gives to the Capitol at Austin its peculiar tint. 
The quartz is sometimes glassy and transparent, or it may 
be of a milky- white color. In the Capitol granite the 
mica is of the black or biotite variety and may be easily 
recognized by its thin scaly layers. When visiting the 
Capitol, its large, highly polished corner stone should be 
examined. 



CHAPTER III 
RELIEF AND SOILS 

22. Classification. The inequalities of the earth's sur- 
face, such as its slope, undulations, hills, mountains, 
plateaus, and valleys, constitute its relief. From this 
point of view Texas may be divided into the following 

regions : 

1. Gulf Slope. 

2. Central Basin. 

3. Plateaus. 

4. Mountains and Basins. 

23. Region of the Gulf Slope. This region, which in- 
cludes that part of the state lying to the south and east 
of the Central basin and the Edwards plateau, may be 
separated into the following divisions : 

a. The Coastal Plain. 

h. The Forested Area. 

c. The Rio Grande Plain. 

<L The Black and Grand Prairies. 

24. The Coastal Plain skirts the Gulf. It is a low, flat, 
and, generally, treeless region. For this reason it is often 
called the Coast prairie. On its outer margin it rises 
twenty to thirty feet above the sea, gradually increasing 
in elevation towards the interior. Its width on the Sabine 
river is about thirty miles, but it widens to the westward, 
reaching a hundred miles or more on the Brazos and Colo- 
rado rivers. Beyond the latter river it merges with the 



16 



TPIE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Kio Grande plain from which it is separated by an undefi- 
nite and somewhat arbitrary boundary, the chief distinction 
being of a geologic character. That which is here desig- 
nated as Coastal plain is underlain by the latest formations 





'f-^Tm^m^^m 






I o 






! o o 






! -^'T 






1 T O , 






-J <( \ 






' -' a: * ^ 






1 <o 






i 'bi.<,; 




^K^' 




^^^H sTocie 




^BPB&: \ \ 


pLATEifj^t^^a^^aaaa^M^ 


iiiti^ 






[ 



Fig 



(1 A Relief Map of Texas on which the Chief 
Topographic Divisions are indicated 



From a Relief Map of the United States modeled by Edwin E. Howell. 
Copyright, 1892. Used by permission 

— the Recent and Neocene — while the Rio Grande plain, 
which extends from the coast to the base of the Cretaceous 
highlands, is underlain not only by these but by earlier 



RELIEF AND SOILS 



17 



formations (see Fig. 2). Though crossed by many streams, 
the drainage of the Coast prairie is poor. The water ways 
are but a few feet below the general level, and between 
them there are many swampy intervals. It is an excellent 
example of a recently formed plain. 

Deltas. The effects of recent stream building are ap- 
parent at several points along the coast, giving rise to 
"delta shore lines." 
The waste of the Rio 
Grande has produced 
a marked outward 
encroachment upon 
the waters of the 
Gulf, and the com- 
bined action of the 
Colorado and Brazos 
rivers has given rise 
to a similar though 
not so conspicuous 
result. The Trinity 
river, which empties 
into Galveston bay, 
has formed a true 
delta with distribu- 
taries. So great is 

the accumulation here that the delta deposits now extend 
nearly across the head of the bay, cutting off a body of 
water called Turtle bay, as shown in Fig. 8. 

Peninsulas and Islands. The conflict between the sea and 
the land has given rise to the long narrow peninsular and 
island ])arriers fringing the Gulf coast of the state, so admira- 
bly exemplified in Matagorda peninsula and Padre island. 




Fig, 



7. Delta Shore Lines of the 
Texas Coast 



18 THE GKOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

The waste brought down by the larger rivers is now, as 
in the past, extending the Coastal plain seaward. On the 
other hand, the prevailing winds and waves, assisted by 
currents and, it may be, by tides, are resenting the inva- 
sion, forcing back the sand and silt, and molding them into 
their present forms. Between these barriers and the older 
land are included bodies of shallow water known as lagoons 



Delta Deposits 

Low Ground with Vegetatioa 

Sandy Deposits 

Shallow Water 

Deeper Water 



Fig. 8. Delta and Distributaries of Trinity River 

and hays. Furthermore, so great is the amount of waste 
brought down by the streams that the agents above men- 
tioned fail to distribute the entire burden, in consequence 
of which the mouths of the rivers are obstructed by bars. 
As long as river water is in motion it will carry large 
quantities of mineral matter mechanically suspended, but 
when the motion ceases, such matter will fall or settle to 
the bottom. On this principle bars are formed, and the 



RELIEF AND SOILS 19 

point of their formation on the Texas coast is where the 
velocity of the river currents is checked by the waters of 
the Gulf. 

25. The Forested Area. In eastern Texas the Coast 
prairie is followed on its inner margin by a rolling country 
and the appearance of a forest growth, hence the name 
" Forested area." Further inland the relief produced by 
the wearing of the streams becomes more marked. The 
formation of broad, deep valleys has left numerous hills, 
fiat-topped and capped with beds of sandstone or iron 



1, sands and clays; 2, beds of iron ore; 3, greensand beds 

Fig. 9. Ideal Section in Eastern Part of the Forested Area, 

SHOWING THE Flat-Topped Hills 

After Penrose 

ore, some of which make small plateaus. They represent 
the surface of a former plain. 

The greatest elevation of this area may reach seven hun- 
dred feet, but its average height above the sea is much 
less, probably three to four hundred feet. 

While this division is, for the most part, underlain by 
rocks of the Eocene system, its boundaries do not quite 
conform to those of the rocks, especially on the south. 

Beyond the Colorado river the forest growth becomes 
scant, giving place to that suited to a semiarid region. 
Here, too, the Eocene and Coastal formations present relief 
features so similar that they need not be considered apart. 

26. The Rio Grande Plain. That part of the Rio Grande 
plain which lies within the state embraces the area between 
the Gulf and the Balcones scarp. It blends with the 



20 THE GP:oGRAPny of texas 

Coastal plain on the east, and on the northeast with the 
Coastal plain, the Forested area, and the Black prairie. It 
is underlain by rocks of the Recent, Neocene, and Eocene 
systems, and on its inner margin by those of the Creta- 
ceous ; yet there are no sharp contrasts in relief until the 
Balcones scarp is reached : here the change is sudden, — 
a plain below, a plateau above. 

27. The Black and Grand Prairies. This division occu- 
pies that part of the Gulf slope lying between the Forested 
area and the Central basin northeast of the Colorado river. 
It is underlain by successive outcrops of Cretaceous strata. 
While the boundary between the Black and Grand prairies 
is geological, resulting from the outcrop of certain beds, it 
is marked for a considerable distance by the Eastern Cross 
timbers. A somewhat similar growth, the Western Cross 
timbers, skirts the western margin of the Grand prairie. 

The Black Prairie presents a gently undulating surface and 
is unrivaled for the fertility of its deep, black soil. Austin, 
Waco, and Dallas are within its area. A low, infacing scarp 
follows the general direction of the Eastern Cross timbers. 
Although termed a prairie, it must not be understood that 
this region is entirely without trees, as its streams are 
often fringed with a growth of timber and over its surface 
there are found occasional clumps of live oaks. Its alti- 
tude varies from four hundred feet or less on its eastern 
border to six or seven hundred on its western. 

The Grand Prairie resembles the Black prairie. It is, 
however, underlain by harder limestone. From its eleva- 
tion and general character it is plateau-like. In its north- 
ern and eastern portions it is comparatively level, excepting 
where cut or dissected by the streams. To the south and 
southwest the encroaching valleys and rapid wearing away 



RELIEF AND SOILS 



21 



of the rocks have left numerous flat-topped hills and 
divides. Its western border is also marked by an infacing 
scarp through which the older streams of the Central basin 
have cut their way. This scalloped margin represents the 
retreating edge of the rocks that once extended far over 
the Central basin. The Grand prairie attains a maximum 
altitude of about a thousand feet. 

28. Region of the Central Basin. This basin lies between 
the region of the Gulf slope on the east and that of the 




Fig. 10. View on the Plains between Childress and Matador 

plateaus on the west. It is separated into two parts by a 
hilly watershed between the Brazos and Colorado rivers, 
known as the " Callahan divide." ^ Here stream wear 
and rock decay have not yet completely severed the con- 
nection between the prairie region and that of the plateaus, 



1 See "Physical Geography of the Texas Region," by Robert T. Hill 
(Folio 3, Topographic Atlas of the United States), p. 7. Washington, 1900. 



22 TIIK GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

as is shown by the flat, limestone-capped hills. Widely 
separated but similar hills are found both to the north 
and to the south. 

Within the Central basin there is a varying relief depend- 
ing upon the hardness or softness of the underlying rocks. 
In the area of the Carboniferous, for example, where shales 
prevail, there are stretches of level prairie ; where sand- 
stones and other hard rocks occur, hills and vallevs. 




Fig. 11. Childress. "A Citv of the Plains" 

In the Permian or Red beds area, on account of the 
softness of the rocks, the relief is not prominent, the gen- 
eral effect being that of a series of rolling plains. 

The southern part of the basin includes the granite area 
of Burnet and Llano counties, with its fringe of Cambrian 
and Ordovician rocks. The relief here developed is so 
strong as to be spoken of as " mountainous." 

29. Region of the Plateaus. The region of the plateaus 
is well marked. It is separated from the Central basin by 
an eastward-facing escarpment, and from the Rio Grande 
plain by a dislocation of the underlying rocks known as 



RELIEF AKD SOILS 23 

the Balcones scarp. It is limited on the south by the 
Rio Grande and on the southwest by the Trans-Fecos 
mountains, while its western boundary is the valley of the 
Rio Pecos in New Mexico. 

This region consists of the following divisions: 

a. The Stockton Plateau. 

b. The Edwards Plateau. 

c. The Staked Plains, or the Llano Estacado. 

The Stockton Plateau is the smallest of the three divi- 
sions, embracing the area between the Rio Pecos and the 




Fui. 12. Scene ox Stockton Plateat 
Fort Stockton in the distance ; a mesa in the background 

Trans-Pecos mountains, an area cut off from the Edwards 
plateau by the Pecos valley. Its general appearance is 
well shown in Figr. 12. 

The Edwards Plateau is a continuation of the Grand 
prairie, from which it has been separated by the valleys 
cut by the Colorado river and its tributaries. Like the 
Grand prairie it is underlain by Cretaceous rocks. Along 



24 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



its eastern and southern margins it has been much dis- 
sected and, as a result, is fringed with flat-to2:)ped hills. 
(Such hills are seen along the Colorado river west of 
Austin.) The summit is in the form of a level plain. 
From an altitude of about a thousand feet along its eastern 
and southern scarps the plateau rises towards the north- 
west, where it blends imperceptibly with the Staked plains. 




Fig. 13. Scarp of the Staked Plains, Blanco Canyon, 
Crosby Coi nty 



The Staked Plains, or the Llano Estacado, are underlain by 
softer rocks. They are very level, — " so level as to pro- 
duce the peculiar appearance of being uphill in every 
direction," — yet they really dip quite gently to the south- 
east. Along their eastern margin or scarp they are deeply 
cut by steep-walled valleys, or canyons, which have been 
foi-med by the wearing action of the head waters of the 
Red, Brazos, and C'olorado rivers. In the northwestern 



RELIEF AND SOILS 25 

part of the Panhandle this region attains a height of over 
four thousand feet. 

30. Region of Mountains and Basins. Between the Rio 
Grande on the one side and the Rio Pecos and the 
Stockton plateau on the other there are two or more lines 
of mountain elevation. The first includes the Guadalupe 




Fig. 14. Northeast Poixt of Chisos Mountains, Igneous Rock, 
Brewster County 

{gw(i -da-loo' pa), Davis, Ord, Santiago {san-te-a'go), Cor- 
azones (cor-a-sd'nes), Rosillos {ro-siVyds), and Chisos 
(che'sos) mountains. 

The highest point in the state is Guadalupe peak, 
9500 feet,i in the range of that name just south of the 

1 These altitudes, excepting that of Santiago peak, are from "A Map 
of Texas and Parts of Adjoining Territories," compiled by Robert T. 
Hill, and published by the United States Geological Survey, 1899. 




Fig. 15. East End of Elephant Head, IciNEors R(k k, Terlingia 
Quicksilver District, Brewster County 




Fig. 10. Sti i)V Butte, Sedumentakv Deposits ( aui'ed with Igne- 
ous KocK, Teklingua Quicksilver District, Brewster County 

26 



RELIEF AND SOILS 



27 



Texas-New Mexico boundary. It presents to the south 
and west an ahnost perpendicular face several thousand 
feet high. Mount Livermore, in the Davis mountains, 
has a height of 8382 feet ; Santiago peak, south of Alpine, 




Fig. 17. Black Mesa 

A dome of Lower Cretaceous limestone due to the intrusion of igneous rock, 
as seen from Mariposa Store, Terlingua, Brewster county 

6800 feet ; and Mount Emory, in the Chisos mountains, 
9000 feet. 

The Guadalupe mountains are made up largely of 
Permian rocks. The Sierra Diablo is an old dissected 
highland capped with Carboniferous rocks. The Davis, 
known also as the Limpia, the Corazones, and the Chisos 
mountains are volcanic. There are also flat-topped moun- 
tains, or mesas, capped with volcanic rock, the remains of 
an old igneous outpouring. 



28 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The second line of elevations enters the state with the 
Hueco iiver'eo) mountains, and is continued by the 
Finlay, Quitman, Eagle, and Vieja {ve-d'hd) mountains. 

In these mountains there are found granite and other 
igneous rocks, as well as Carboniferous and Cretaceous 
limestones. The Chinati mountains are volcanic. 

Between the mountains of Trans-Pecos Texas there are 
numerous basins or flats. These plains, though elevated, 




Fig. 18. View towards the Foothills of Quitman Mountains 



differ from ordinary plateaus. They are not capped with 
hard layers, but are usually covered with the waste brought 
down from the adjoining slopes. 

This is a region of sudden contrasts. From the sandy 
plains mountains quickly rise, sometimes alone, some- 
times in groups ; here sharp summits are outlined against 
the sky, there great rounded domes ; again flat-topped 
mesas appear, with steep scarps and deeply cut ravines. 



RELIEF AND SOILS 29 

Salt basin lies for the most part between the Delaware 
mountains, a southeastern extension of the Guadalupe 
mountains, and the Sierra Diablo. Its interior drainage 
is collected in a series of salt lakes. The Rio Grande is 
said to flow through a chain of old basins, connected by 
canyons, until it reaches the apex of the Great Bend in 
Brewster county. 

31. Soils. The thin, unconsolidated outer covering of 
the earth which supports vegetation is known as soil. 
According to its origin it is of two kinds : 

a. That formed from the decay of the underlying rocks, 
called residual soil. 

h. That formed of materials carried to their present 
position by water, ice, or wind, called transported soil. 

32. Residual Soils. The residual soils of Texas vary with 
the geologic formations from which they have been derived. 
On the Coastal plain they are sandy or clayey, that is com- 
posed of the waste of the older rocks of the state which, 
having been deposited in the Gulf, was later added to the 
land. Some of the clays form a black waxy soil. These 
recently formed soils are in many localities well adapted to 
market gardening, rice growing, or fruit culture. 

The soils of the Forested area have also been derived 
from sands and clays. In the pine region they are not 
very fertile. Some of the clays form black waxy soils, as 
in the prairies of Washington and Grimes counties. The 
red soils of the East Texas uplands are rich and well 
suited for fruit growing. 

The soil of the Black prairie is of the black waxy 
variety. It is derived from the underlying Upper Creta- 
ceous rocks and is exceedingly rich. The soil of the Grand 
prairie is likewise derived from Cretaceous rocks, but from 



30 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

those belonging to the lower division. It is thinner and 
more rocky than the preceding, but where of sufficient 
depth it forms excellent farming land. 

The soil of the Edwards plateau is thin and of little 
value for agriculture. 

In the Central basin the soil varies with the character 
of the underlying rocks. In the southern part it is derived 
from tlie decomposing granite. In the wider part of the 
basin, to the north, it is from the Carboniferous and Per- 
mian rocks. The soil in the Carboniferous area is in some 
instances black and rich ; in others sandy, limy, or clayey, 
depending upon its origin. In the Permian area there is 
a limy or clayey soil of a reddish or brown color, well 
suited to the growth of wheat. 

The residual soils of the Llano Estacado, for the most 
part, have been derived from the sediments of an ancient 
Neocene lake. They consist of brownish and reddish 
loams. Where irrigation has been carried on they produce 
well. At present, however, the lands of this region are 
devoted to pasturage. 

33. Transported Soils. The most important variety of 
transported soil to be here considered is that known as 
alluvial. It fills the valleys of many rivers and streams 
and is made up of transported materials, the product of 
stream wear at numerous points. This is the soil of the 
" bottoms," and in some cases, where streams have carved 
their valleys deeper, there are two bottoms. The alluvial 
lands of the Brazos are among the most fertile in the 
state. Other valuable bottoms are found along the Red, 
Trinity, Colorado, Guadalupe, and Nueces rivers. 

On the Llano Estacado the transported soils consist of 
drift, wash, and wind-blown deposits. 



CHAPTER IV 

SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND WATERS 

34. Kinds of Drainage. The drainage of a country is 
represented by its rivers and their tributaries. If we 
examine the relief map of Texas, we shall find that the 
principal water courses follow the general slope of the land, 
that is, that the main streams flow in a southeast direc- 
tion to the Gulf. Taking the rivers as a whole, it may be 
shown that they represent at least five kinds of drainage. 

1. The draiyiage of the recently formed Coastal plain^ 
which is just being established. Here the stream channels 
are but a lew feet below the general level, while between 
them there are divides as yet undrained. 

2. The drainage of the older portions of the Coastal slope, 
where the streams are of greater age and cover a larger 
area. They may be either independent or tributaries. 
This drainage is represented by the Sulphur fork of Red 
river, the Sabine, Neches, and Angelina rivers, the Nava- 
sota, Little river, and other branches of the Brazos, and 
by many tributaries of Trinity river. The laiger part of 
the drainage of the Guadalupe and Nueces rivers should 
be included in this division. 

3. The drainage of the Central basin, which is repre- 
sented by upper portions of the Red, Trinity, Brazos, and 
Colorado rivers. They are the oldest streams in the state 
and have extended their channels through the successive 
additions as the land grew gulfward. 

:31 



32 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

4. The drainage of the plateaus^ of which the head 
waters of the Guadalupe, Nueces, and other streams are 
examples. 

5. The drainage of the Rocky mountains^ represented by 
the Canadian, a member of the Arkansas river system, the 
Rio Grande, and its tributary, the Rio Pecos. 

The Rio Grande " is subject to wide variations in 
volume at different times of the year. From southern 
New Mexico to the mouth of the Pecos it is often dry 
late in summer, while in the springtime it is a powerful 
torrent." 

35. The Gradient of Some Texas Rivers. At El Paso, 
1030 miles from its mouth, the Rio Grande is 3700 feet 
above the sea level ; at the mouth of the Pecos, 1000 feet. 
At Roby, in Fisher county, 710 miles above the mouth 
of the Brazos, Clear fork has an altitude of 1900 feet, and 
the Colorado, 519 miles above its mouth, an altitude of 
1800 feet. 

36. Navigation of Rivers. Generally speaking, the rivers 
of Texas are not navigable, though in some instances 
vessels of light draught may ascend a few miles above 
their mouths. This defect ma}^ in time be remedied in a 
great measure by " river improvements," such as dredging, 
the removal of obstructions, and the building of dams and 
locks. 

37. Lakes. The lakes of Texas are small. They occur 
mostly on the Coastal slope and in the Plateau region. 
Among those of the Coastal slope are Caddo lake on the 
Louisiana-Texas boundary. Clear lake in Harris county. 
Grand lake in Montgomery county. Eagle lake in Colo- 
rado county, Austin lake in Matagorda county, and 
Espantosa lake on the line between Zavalla and Dimmit 





^ 


^ 






'^HF _ 


^ 




•: -pv;4. • 


•i"~I-' 


,_^ 


k^ 


^^^B^E^g^^^M||^^;^tfe.^ . JJ ■;.- 


^■ltfi^^.t^.^^^ 




■i^^fe**:^^^' ^ ■' ■"^■" ■ 1 



Fig. 19. Pimp Canyon, Rio Grande at Langtr' 




Fig. 20. Casa Canyon, near Devil River, Val Vkrde County, 
ON the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway 

(SOITHERN rACIFIC) 



33 



34 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

counties. There is also a number of salt lakes on the 
Coastal plain near the mouth of the Rio Grande. 

On the Staked plains there are many small bodies of 
water both permanent and temporary. Some are salt. In 
Salt basin, between the Delaware mountains and the 
Sierra Diablo, there are numerous salt lakes resulting 
from the interior drainage. 

38. Water Power. West of the Colorado river there 
are many streams having their sources in the large springs 
of the Edwards plateau or those bursting forth at the base 
of its southern scarp, which afford excellent water power. 
The larger streams of the state, as the Colorado and the 
Brazos, are also utilized at many points, but they are sub- 
ject to unusual floods and also to a great diminution of 
volume in dry seasons. 

On the Guadalupe river, between Cuero and Ingram, 
there are not less than twelve plants (dams with the neces- 
sary machinery) where water furnishes the power for 
pumping, milling, etc., and on the San Marcos as many 
or more. The latter stream rises in a magnificent spring 
over which the water is now backed by a dam erected 
a quarter of a mile below. It furnishes the power by 
which the town of San Marcos is supplied with water 
and electric light. 

At Marble Falls, on the Colorado, the river is checked 
by a natural limestone dam, affording a total fall of twenty- 
two feet. Below this the river descends rapidly through 
a deep canyon where enormous water power could be 
developed. 

39. Irrigation. In addition to water power there are 
many streams which supply water for irrigation, or the 
artificial watering of the land. This is done by means of 



SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND WATERS 35 

dams for raising and storing the water and by systems of 
distributing ditches. The waters of the Pecos are used 
for this purpose at several points, as are also those of the 
North Concho, a tributary of the Colorado. San Filepe 
creek, near Delrio, furnishes water both for power and for 
irrigation, as does the San Saba at Menardville. These 




Fig. 21. Marble Falls on the Colorado Kivek 
A Natural Dam 



ai*e a few examples of what has been done to render arid 
and semiarid lands productive. 

Irrigation by pumping has become of first importance 
on the Coastal plain, especially since the introduction of 
rice and truck growing. The pumps, often of great 
power, are operated by steam or gasoline. One pumping 
station will furnish water for many acres. The rivers, 
small lakes, artesian and even ordinary Avells are the 
sources of water supply. 



36 



THE (iP:OGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



40. Artesian Water. Where water cannot be obtained by 
digging ordinar}^ wells, it is sought for by boring or drilling. 
When underground waters are reached by this method, they 
often burst forth under pressure, sometimes even throw- 
ing a stream high in the air, at other times rising many 

feet in the drill hole 
without reaching 
the surface. Such 
waters are called ar- 
tesian. Their source 
is far away and they 
have traveled long 
distances through 
sandy and other rock 
layers which must 
be inclined. In arid 
or semiarid regions, 
or where the surface 
supply is very irreg- 
ular, artesian wells 
are of the greatest 
value both for drink- 
ing and for irrigat- 
ing purposes. 

The artesian area 
is almost entirely 
confined to the Gulf 




Fig. 22. Artesian Well on Bosque Farm, 
(as it appeared in 1890) Four Miles 
West of Waco, McLennan County, and 
248 Feet above the Public Square 



slope. Thus far wells have shown the existence of water- 
bearing strata in certain formations belonging to four of 
the rock systems — the Neocene, the Eocene, the Creta- 
ceous, and the Carboniferous. The waters of the last, in 
the Central basin, contain so much mineral matter as to be 



SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND WATERS 



37 



of little value, and some of the wells near the coast furnish 
brackish or sulphurous waters. Of the water-bearing beds, 
those of the lowermost Cretaceous, known as the Trinity 




Fig. 23, Map showing the Artesian Water Areas of Texas 
The sign • in many cases represents groups of "vrells 

sands, are the most valuable in the state, on account of 
the good quality of the water and its abundant flow. 

Artesian water is struck at various depths, and usually more than 
one water-bearing stratum is encountered in the same well, especially 
if it be a deep one. The well at Marlin, 3330 feet, is said to be the 



38 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

deepest in the state. AVater was encountered at 3200 feet and at 
the bottom. The latter flow is warra and has a pressure of nearly a 
hundred pounds to the square inch. The experimental well at Gal- 
veston is 3070 feet deep. Water was encountered at nine different 
horizons, the strongest flow probably at 2920 feet. This well was a 
disappointment to the citizens, as it furnished brackish water. The 
average depth of the wells at Waco is estimated by R. T. Hill at 1842 
feet.^ Good flows have been obtained from two horizons. At Fort 
Worth four horizons have been encountered, the best flow being that 
obtained at the depth of a thousand to twelve hundred feet. The 
wells at Denton furnish good supplies of excellent water from a 
depth slightly over six hundred feet. A well in the southern part 
of Houston county only fifty feet deep is said to have gushed several 
feet above the surface. ^ The above statement will sufRce to show 
the wade range of artesian conditions in the region of the Gulf 
slope. 

41. Springs. In addition to common springs which issue 
from beneath bluffs or well up near the banks of water 
courses, there is found in Texas a series of remarkable 
artesian springs, often of large volume, which arise from 
fissures along the line of the Balcones displacement. 
They are usually in the form of beautiful pools of clear 
Avater. Such springs are found at Austin, Manchaca, San 
Marcos, San Antonio, Brackett, Delrio, and elsewhere. 

There are also in the state many mineral springs and wells, some 
of which, having achieved more than a local reputation for their 
curative powers, are now well known as resorts. As belonging to 
this class mention may be made of Mineral wells in Palo Pinto 
county ; Hynson's Iron Mountain Springs and Rosborough Springs, 
west and south of Marshall ; AVootan Wells in Robertson county ; 
and Dalby Springs in Bowie county. 

1 " Geography and Geology of the Black and Grand Prairies, Texas." 
Twenty-first Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, Part 
VII, p. 539. Washington, 190 1'. 

2 Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide for 1904, p. 293. 



CHAPTER V 

CLIMATE 

On account of its large size, its nearness to the tropics, 
and its relief, Texas experiences a great variety of climate. 

42. Rainfall. The eastern part of the state is humid. 
Here the annual rainfall averages from fifty to sixty inches. 
Towards the west- it gradually diminishes. In the region 
of the Black prairie, and south of it, forty to fifty inches 
fall. This is followed by a belt, including a portion of the 
Grand prairie and a portion of the Central basin, also 
extending to the Gulf, in which the rainfall is thirty to 
forty inches annually. Beyond this the rainfall steadily 
diminishes. At the foot of the Llano Estacado it amounts 
to about twenty inches, and on the plateau it is reduced 
to betAveen ten and twenty inches. At El Paso it is about 
ten inches. 

It will be seen that while the eastern part of the state 
is plentifully watered, arid and semiarid conditions pre- 
vail in the west. With an annual rainfall of less than 
twenty inches, agriculture cannot be carried on without 
irrigation. 

In the eastern part of the state rain falls most abundantly 
in the winter. Its source is the Gulf of INIexico. In the 
west the greatest rainfall is during the summer months, 
and its source is chiefly the Pacific ocean. 

43. The Distribution of Rainfall by Months. "The ac- 
companying diagram. Fig. 25, shows the quantity and 

.S9 



40 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



average distribution of rainfall by months at a number of 
selected stations fairly typical of the state as a whole. The 
first of these is Galveston, on the coast, in the eastern part of 
the state. Here the average rainfall for twenty-seven years 
is 49.6 inches. As shown by the diagram, the months of 
heaviest precipitation are September and August, but in 



lO?" 105° 103° lor 99° 97 




Fic;. 24. Map of Texas showing the Mean Annual Rainfall 
IN Inches 

every month, except February, an average of over three 
inches of rain has fallen. This is fairly typical of the dis- 
tribution of rainfall along the Gulf coast. The diagram 
next above this is for Austin, where the average rainfall 
for thirty-nine years is 83.4 inches. Here also there is 
an excess of precipitation in September, and a second 



u. s <c s =3 =3 <: lo o z Q 



■ -■ 



EL 



PASO 



N 



I 



l-l-l 



'i>ii-i 1 1 1 1 1 ri 



FlOiRT DAVIS 



ittilii 



rri 1 1 1 1 1 1 ri 



FORT ELLIOTT 



.1 



I 



I 



I 



lllllllllll 



FORT CLA RK 



ti 



llllll!!!ll 



USjT 






i; 



If. 



ri 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 

iiiiiiii 



Fig. 25. Diagram of the Mean Monthly Kaixkall 
AT Six Stations 

The numbers on the right indicate inches 
41 



42 thp: geography of tkxas 

maximum in May. Relatively to these months, June, 
July, and August are somewhat dry ; but in every month 
throughout the year there has fallen an average of over 
two inches of rain. 

" The next diagram in Fig. 25 above that for Austin is 
that for Fort Clark, or Brackettville. This is constructed 
from the average for twenty-nine years. The mean annual 
rainfall is 22.7 inches. Fort Clark is remote from the 
coast, and the distribution of its rainfall, though somewhat 
similar to that at Austin, having maxima in September 
and May, shows reduction in quantity, especially during 
the winter months. Next above the diagram for Fort 
Clark is that of Fort Elliott, situated far up in the Pan- 
handle of Texas, near the Oklahoma line. Here the quan- 
tity and distribution are fairly typical of the Great plains 
area. The diagram is derived from the mean observations 
extending over eleven years and giving an annual average 
of 23.2 inches. The month of greatest rainfall is May, Sep- 
tember being below the average. The rainy season may be 
said to extend from April to August. 

" In the upper part of Fig. 25 are two diagrams illus- 
trating the typical distribution of rain in Trans-Pecos 
Texas. This has been named by General Greely the 
Mexican type of rainfall. In these, particulaily in the 
diagram for Fort Davis, obtained from twenty-six years' 
observations, the rainfall is seen to increase regularly from 
February to August and then to decrease rapidly to the 
end of the year. The greater part of the precipitation 
occurs during June, July, August, and September, at 
the time when most needed by the crops. The diagram 
for El Paso, from thirty-six years' averages, shows a rela- 
tively uniform but small precipitation throughout the year, 



CLIMATE 



43 



with the exception of the months of July, August, and 
September." ^ 

44. Temperature. The temperature of Texas varies 
greatly. This is due in part to the vast extent of the 
state, but chiefly to its relief and other geographic causes. 




Fig. 26. Map of Texas showing the Mean Annual Temperature 
(after Gannett) and the Iron and Quicksilver Areas 

Along the low Coastal plain there is a great uniformity, 
while in the elevated region of the Panhandle and in 
the Trans-Pecos country the extremes are often widely 

1 William F. Hutson, " Irrigation Systems in Texas." Water-Siipply 
and Irrigation Papers of the United States Geological Survey, No. 13, 
pp. 22-24. Washington, 1898. 



44 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

separated. Snow is of rare occurrence on the coast. 
Throughout the state, however, sudden changes — "drops" 
— in temperature are common, though of wider range and 
more noticeable in the winter than in the summer months. 
45. Cold Waves, or << Northers.'* '' The term ' cold wave ' 
is a technical one, devised by the Signal Corps, to represent 
not the intensity of cold — save within certain limits — 
but rather to indicate the idea of very decided falls of 
temperature within such a limited time as to produce 
physical discomfort to mankind, cause injury to growing 
vegetation, or work material harm to local interests. 
These sudden falls of temperature usually occur in Texas 
in connection with a north wind of considerable violence, 
which progresses with regularity from the northern bound- 
ary southward until its force is spent over the Gulf of 
Mexico, or its strength modified by other adverse meteoro- 
logical conditions. The name ' norther ' — from the direc- 
tion of the wind — is appropriately applied to these storms 
in Texas, Mexico, and other countries affected by them. 
The term 'norther' is, in the minds of most strangers to the 
state, associated with solely that of Texas, and many per- 
sons are under the erroneous impression that such storms 
are not only dangerous and frequent, but that they con- 
stitute a marked and special characteristic of the state as 
a whole. As a matter of fact, some parts of Texas are 
very rarely affected by northers, say not more than twice 
a year, and for fully one third of the state the norther is 
so light that its coming is usually hailed with satisfaction 
as a welcome and health-giving tonic, purifying the air 
and stimulating personal activity." ^ 

1 Report of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army [ A. W. Greely] on the 
Climatic Conditions of the State of Texas, p. 16. Washington, 1892. 



CLIMATE 45 

46. Winds. The effects of a high summer temperature 
are greatly modified, in most parts of Texas by the deflected 
Atlantic trade winds which blow quite steadily from the 
southeast. Immediately preceding a cold wave, however, 
the cessation of the southeast wind is followed by a short 
period of sultriness, which, of course, is not so well marked 
during the wdnter months. The wind, ordinarily termed 
'' norther," which accompanies a cold wave has usually 
expended its energy within twenty-four to forty-eight 
hours, although the return of the southeast wind may 
occasionall}^ be delayed for a longer period. 

Northers when accompanied by rain are spoken of as 
" wet," and when accompanied by clear weather as " dry." 
In summer the approach of a norther is usually heralded 
by an electrical disturbance, and this is by no means rare 
at other seasons. Great masses of clouds — thunderheads 
— appear in the north, northwest, and less commonly, per- 
haps, in the northeast, and the display of lightning is very 
impressive. When a norther is accompanied by a low, dark 
blue or gray cloud stretching continuously across the hori- 
zon, it is termed a "blue norther," and many people are 
of the opinion that they can detect an odor like that of 
burning paper or a burning forest. 

" The mean direction of the wind over Texas for the 
different months of the year is as follows : December, 
January, and February the winds in the northwestern half 
of the state are largely northwesterly, with interruptions 
of southerly winds ; in the remaining parts of the state 
the winds are southerly or northwesterly, the first named 
direction being somewhat in predominance. During March 
southeasterly winds prevail, with the northwesterly direc- 
tion next in order of frequency, especially in northern 



46 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Texas. From April to November southeasterly winds very 
largely predominate, except during July and November, 
when the tendency is a little more southerly; but dur- 
ing these months interruptions of northerly or northwest- 
erly winds occasionally obtain, particularly over northern 
Texas." i 

At remote intervals the coast of Texas is visited by 
tropical hurricanes that apparently have been deflected 
from their normal course, and in at least two instances 
they have been productive of great disaster. 

The storm at Indianola in September, 1875, was exceed- 
ingly severe, the wind reaching the velocity of one hundred 
miles an hour. ''As at Galveston, enormous quantities of 
sea water were driven inland, and the greatest damage 
and loss of life occurred during the ebbing of the flood 
seaward." ^ The loss of life on this occasion reached one 
hundred and seventy-six, while the property loss was over 
one million dollars. 

In its destructive effects the Galveston storm of Sep- 
tember, 1900, ranks among the world's great calamities. 

"On the morning of the 7 th the storm Avas central south 
of the mouth of the Mississippi river, and reports from Gulf 
coast stations furnished evidence of its marked strength and 
subsequent course. But neither these reports nor those of 
the morning of the 8th indicated a coordination of storm 
enerofies which would overwhelm Galveston island with 
waves of unprecedented magnitude from both the Gulf 
and the Bay. 

1 Report of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army on the Climatic Condi- 
tions of the State of Texas, p. 27. 

^ See " Hurricanes on the Coast of Texas," by General A, W. Greely, 
United States Army. National Geographic Magazine, Vol. XI, No, 11, 
November, 1900, p. 443. 



CLIMATE 47 

" The principal agent of destruction at Galveston was 
water from the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston bay. The 
wind, which doubtless exceeded a velocity of 100 miles an 
hour, was cliiefly important as a cause of the high seas. 
During the afternoon of the 8th the highest tide ever 
experienced at Galveston began to run in from the Gulf 
against the wind. This was a storm wave impelled by the 
advancing hurricane. Simultaneously waves from Gal- 
veston bay, driven by a northerly gale, covered the inner 
side of the island. 

'' The geographical position and the topography of Gal- 
veston island render it, in the presence of severe storms, 
peculiarly subject to inundation. In common w4th all 
low-lying districts on the coasts of great bodies of water, 
it has occasionally been covered by high tides which have 
been caused either by on-shore gales of unusual severity 
or by waves which have run ahead of the vortex of a hur- 
ricane. On September 8th both of these causes contributed 
to the overflow of the island. The storm wave from the 
Gulf, combined with the influence of the gale which swept 
over thirty miles of water surface in the Bay, heaped water 
from both the Gulf and the Bay over the long narrow strip 
of sand which composes Galveston island. The floods thus 
produced exceeded by eight or nine feet any previous flood 
which has visited the city of Galveston, and the almost 
irresistible force of the enormous waves, together with the 
strength of the hurricane winds, resulted in a disaster which 
is without precedent in the history of the United States." ^ 

1 "The West Indian Hurricane of September 1-12, 1000," by E. B. 
Garriott, Professor of Meteorology, United States Weather Bureau. 
National Geographic Magazine, Vol. XI, No. 10, October, 1900, pp. 301, 
392. 



48 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

47. Sunshine. The importance of sunshine as a climatic 
element cannot be overlooked. It is both health-giving 
and growth-producing. Dr. I. M. Cline, for a number of 
years the representative of the United States Weather 
Bureau at Galveston, is the authority for the follovring 
statement: "The southeastern portion of the state has 55 
to 65 per cent, while the Trans-Pecos region and the Pan- 
handle have 65 to 75 per cent of the possible sunshine. 
Very few days pass in Texas without some sunshine. 
Along the Gulf coast it is approximated that the sun 
shines to some extent 320 days out of a year, and the 
number of days with some sunshine is greater than this 
over other portions of the state." ^ 

1 United States Department of Agriculture, Weather Bureau, Texas 
Weather Service, Special Bulletin No. 4, 1894, p. 10. 



CHAPTER VI 
VEGETATION 

48. General Statement. The plants of Texas are of many 
kinds, ranging from the stately forests of the eastern border 
to the grasses and yuccas of the western plains ; from the 
luxuriant growths of the Sabine valley to the arid vegeta- 
tion of the Kio Grande. 

The chief causes of these variations are to be found 
in the abundant, moderate, and scanty rainfalls, and in the 
differences in altitudes, temperatures, and soils in the dif- 
ferent regions of the state. In the consideration of its 
plant life, therefore, the vast extent of Texas should not 
be lost to view, for within its borders we shall find the 
meeting points of several widely varying floras. 

49. Forests. The distribution of the forest growth is 
shown on the accompanying map (Fig. 28). It will there 
be seen that by far the larger part of the state is treeless, 
or, to be more precise, only about a fourth part is tim- 
bered. While some of the forests are very valuable for 
their timber resources, others furnish little of worth except 
posts, for fencing, and fuel. 

50. The East Texas Timber Belt. The forested region 
of eastern Texas is of the greatest importance. Here are 
found the long-leaf, the short-leaf, and the loblolly pines ; 
the cypress, which occurs along the streams ; and a great 
variety of liard woods, such as oak, hickory, ash, walnut, 
and beech. 

49 




50 



VEGETATION 



51 



In 1900 these forests furnished one billion feet of lum- 
ber. Of the trees of this area the long-leaf pine is con- 
sidered the most valuable, though when sawed into lumber 
the three pines can scarcely be distinguished by an expert. 




Fig. 28. Map of Texas showing the Wooded Areas 
After Bray and Gannett 

" The forests of long-leaf pine extend from the Sabine 
west to the Trinity river and from the grassy savannas 
of the coast region north to the center of Sabine, San 
Augustine, and Angelina counties, and include an area of 
about 2,890,000 acres. In amount and quality of the tim- 
ber these forests are unsurpassed and are only equaled by 
the forest of the adjoining region in Louisiana. Toward 



52 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

their southern borders the countr}^ like the pine fiats of 
southwestern Louisiana, is perfectly level and poorly 
drained, with the soil water-soaked for the greater part of 
the year. These flats have been almost completely stripped 
of their merchantable timber. North of Nona the surface 
rises gradually above the water level in broad, low swells, 
and, being underlaid by strata of stiff loams, is more or less 
deficient in drainage. The intervening wide flats are fre- 
quently covered with a dense growth of large shrubs and 
small-sized trees consisting of various species of hawthorn, 
the deciduous holly, dahoon holly, privet, plane trees, and 
magnolias. These impenetrable thickets are common and 
often cover many square miles, like the so-called Big 
Thicket in the lower part of Hardin county, said to be 
from ten to fifteen miles wide either way. The growth 
of long-leaf pine which covers the gentle, wide swells 
is dense, of fine proportions, and of remarkably rapid 
development." ^ 

From one hundred and thirty to one hundred and sixty- 
five miles from the coast the long-leaf pine forests are 
succeeded by those of the short-leaf pine, which cover the 
northeastern part of the state, extending on the north 
beyond the Red river into Indian Territory and Arkansas, 
and on the east into Louisiana. 

The area occupied by the loblolly or swamp pine over- 
laps the areas of the short-leaf and the long-leaf pine. 
Within the last mentioned the loblolly is found scattered 
along the water courses, while in the first mentioned it 
occurs intermingled with other pine and deciduous growths. 

1 "The Timber Pines of the Southern United States," by Charles 
Mohr, Ph.D. United States Department of Agriculture, Division of 
Forestry, Bulletin No. 13, pp. 45, 46. Washington, 1896. 




Fig. 29. Swamp and Bayou Scene. Tupelo and Cypress Savamp 

Beaumont 




Fig. 30. Palmetto and Oak Growtti on the East Fork of San 
Jacinto River, Ten Miles East of New Caney, Montgomery 
County 

53 



54 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The best development of the species within the state, 
however, is to the west and south of the long-leaf area. 

That these mag- 
nificent forests will 
soon be numbered 
with the things 
of the past seems 
probable. Accord- 
ing to Dr. William 
L. Bray, the long- 
leaf pine of Texas 
is being cut at the 
rate of some three 
quarters of a bil- 
lion feet of lumber 
each year. At this 
rate he thinks it 
a reasonable esti- 
mate that the vir- 
gin pine may hold 
out twenty years 
longer. And he 
further calls at- 
tention to the fact 
that with the pre- 
vailing systems 
of logging the 
forest grounds are so stripped and exposed to fire that 
no future stand can be counted on.i It would seem the 

1 See "Forest Resources of Texas," by William L. Bray. United 
States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Forestry, Bulletin No. 47, 
p. 23. Washington, 1904. 




Fig. 31. The Long-Leaf Fixe Forest of t 
Louisiana-Texas Area 
These trees furnish the most valuable lumber 



VEGETATION 55 

part of prudence that the state should take some action 
concerning the restoration of its timbered areas before it 
is too late. That the cultivation and growth of forest 
trees is both practical and remunerative has already been 
amply demonstrated, and under the conditions prevailing 
in this country the demand for good timber would be 
unlimited. 

51. The Post Oak Country and the Cross Timbers. On 
their western border the pines give way to a post oak and 
black jack growth which, following the general course of 
the outcrop of Eocene strata towards the southwest, gradu- 
ally decreases and finally disappears not far from the 
Nueces river. Connected with the Post Oak country 
by a narrow strip extending up Red river are two nar- 
row southern prolongations of a similar growth, known 
respectively as the Eastern and Western Cross timbers. 
The former, as previously stated, marks the boundary 
between the Black and Grand prairies, while the latter 
skirts the western margin of the Grand prairie. Asso- 
ciated with the dominating species are various other trees, 
such as several forms of oak, the hickory, persimmon, and 
dogwood. 

52. The Forest Growth of the Edwards Plateau. The 
streams flowing in the canyon valleys of the Edwards 
plateau are often fringed with a forest growth which 
includes such trees as the pecan, live oak, sycamore, elm, 
Avalnut, and, strange to say, the cypress. The latter is of 
course far removed from its kindred in the eastern Texas 
swamps. 

As distinct from this growth of the valleys, mention 
should be made of that found on the hilly, dissected border 
of the plateau, the cedars and dwarf, scrubby oaks. Patches 



56 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



of stunted oaks, called " shinneries," are also found on the 
higher parts of the plateau. 

53. The Trans-Pecos Forest Growth. The forests of the 
Trans-Pecos region are confined to the high mountain 
slopes and canyons. They are of the Rocky mountain 




EiG. 32. Cedar Growth on Hill West of Shoal Cijeek, Austin 

type, and in the vicinity of the Great Bend of the Rio 
Grande are found above six thousand feet. While much 
of the timber is dwarfed and gnarled, in the higher parts 
of the Guadalupe, Davis, and Chisos mountains there are 
pines, cedars, and other trees of large size. 




Vu.. 08. KocKY Mountain Cedars and Oaks 
Camp scene, summit of Chisos Mountains, Brewster County 




Fig. 34. Cottonwood Timber, Saucito, Pkesidio County 
57 



58 THE GEOGRAPHY OE TEXAS 

54. Vegetation of the Coast Prairie. Although the vege- 
tation of the Coast prairie is largely in the form of grasses 
and rushes, — plants suited to low, swampy lands, — the 
live oak occurs here and there in scattered clumps, called 
" mottes," and in some abundance along the Brazos, Colo- 
rado, and other streams. Beyond Corpus Christi the 
decrease in rainfall and other climatic conditions cause 
a change — the swamp growth is followed by the " grasses 




EiG. 35. Live-Oak Motte West of Austin 

of the plains," together with the more or less arid vegeta- 
tion of the LoAver Rio Grande region. 

" The timber that is found in the Coast prairie region 
of East Texas, along the streams and in isolated groves, 
is mostly Cottonwood, willow, elm, hackberry, sycamore, 
ash, water oak, pin oak, post oak, some red oak, and cedar, 
and, in the western part of the area, pecan and mesquite. 
Dense growths of vines, rattan, poison oak, and grape 
vine have often wrapped themselves about the trees, form- 
ing an impassable network. The spread of the mesquite 



VEGETATIOX 



59 



in this region is a noteworthy fact. When the country 
was first settled it was a rare tree in the valley of the 
lower Brazos, and was identified only with the western 
prairies. Since that time, however, it has spread to the 
east, and is now seen in considerable quantities about 
Sealy and other Brazos River towns." ^ 

55. Vegetation of the Rio Grande Plain. On the Rio 
Grande plain the vegetation of the Forested area gives 




Fig. 36. The Staked Plains 
The vegetation consists of yucca and grass 

way to that better suited to the arid and semiarid condi- 
tions that prevail there. This is the " chaparral country," 
so named from a bushy, thorny growth in the form of 
thickets of acacias, mesquite, and many other plants. 
The soil, too dry and sterile for cultivation without irriga- 
tion, supports a growth of grass which renders the plain 

1 " Geology of the Gulf Territory of Texas," by R. A. F. Penrose, Jr. 
First Annual Report of the Geol )(jlcal Survey of Texas, p. 8. Austin, 1890. 



60 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

well adapted to stock raising. As in many other parts of 
the state, the cacti are interesting and numerous. 

56. Vegetation of the Prairie Plains and the Plateaus. 
The Prairie plains, which include the Black and Grand 
prairies and the Central basin, have long been noted for 
their grass (see Fig. 10). As already stated, they are not 
entirely treeless. In addition to live-oak mottes, their 
streams are often fringed with a forest growth, and they 
are divided by the Eastern and the Western Cross timbers. 
The encroachment of the mesquite upon the grass lands 
has been noticed in recent years. 

The higher plains of the Edwards plateau and the Llano 
Estacado also form a " grass country." Besides grasses of 
several kinds there is on the Staked plains a considerable 
growth of Bear grass and Spanish dagger (yucca). 

57. Life Zones. From the outline of plant distribution 
in the preceding sections it is clear that in Texas we have 
the focal or meeting point of a widely diversified plant 
growth. That this peculiar condition may be further 
emphasized, attention is now called to the so-called " Life 
Zones." 

Based upon the distribution of plants and animals, and 
with boundaries somewhat indefinite, North America has 
been divided into three great transcontinental regions, 
or belts, namely : 

1. Boreal, or Northern. 

2. Austral, or Southern. 

3. Tropical. 

Although the Boreal region is prolonged southward 
along the higher ranges of the Rocky mountains, it is not 
represented in Texas. 



VEGETATION 



61 



Of the Austral region the following zones are recognized : 

a. Transition, which enters the state in the region of the 
Guadalupe mountains and is characterized by a Rocky 
mountain vegetation, especially the pine forests. 

b. Upper Sonoran, which includes the Panhandle country 
north of the Canadian river and the Llano Estacado, with 
a vegetation characteristic of the Great plains at the base 



Transition 
Upper Sonoran 

Lo-xver Sonoran 

Humid Division of 
Lower Sonoran 
Semi-Tropical 
or Gulf Strip 
Tropical 




TEXAS 

Showing the Life Zones 

Scale 



Fig. 37, Map of Texas showing the Life Zoxes 



of the Rocky mountains. It is also represented in the 
Trans-Pecos " by a series of isolated mountain summits 
rising out of the Lower Sonoran zone " (Bray). 

c. Lower Sonoran, which includes the western part of the 
Central basin, the Edwards and Stockton plateaus, the Rio 
Pecos valley, and the Rio Grande valley and plain with 
the exception of a small area near the mouth of the river. 



62 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

The plants of the Central basin have a close relationship 
with those of the prairies to the north, whereas the plants 
of the Rio Grande plain have a close relationship with 
those of the Tropical region to the south. 

d. Austroriparian or Humid Division of the Lower Sonoran 
embraces eastern Texas exclusive of the Coastal plain. 
Here are found the Forested area or the southwestern 
extension of the Atlantic Timber belt, the Black and 
Grand prairies, the Cross Timbers, and, although tran- 
sitional in character, the eastern part of the Central basin. 

e. Semitropical or Gulf Strip, which, as a narrow belt 
beginning on the coast south of Corpus Christi, forms a 
border along the Gulf of Mexico passing into Louisiana. 
Its life and climate are transitional between the Austral 
and Tropical regions. 

The Tropical region invades Texas along the Lower 
Rio Grande, extending up the coast until it passes into 
the Gulf strip as already outlined. 

58. Characteristic Plants and Animals. While vegetation 
may well characterize the '' life zones," there are also forms 
of animal life which may be equally valuable in affording 
distinctive characters. This is not unexpected, inasmuch 
as animals always frequent those regions which furnish 
the necessary food supplies. In this manner certain forms 
of plant life and certain forms of animal life are often 
associated. It must be noted, however, in this connection 
that the range of some animals, as the migratory birds and 
some insects for example, is so great that they are common 
to several zones, and therefore cannot be regarded as in any 
sense characteristic, and the same is true of plants, but in 
a lesser degree. 



CHAPTER VII 
FAUNA 

59. The Animal Life of Texas. From our knowledge of 
the topography, climate, and vegetation of the state, the 
cliief elements of control in the distribution of animal life, 
we may readily conceive that the fauna of this region, 
before the advent of the Anglo-American civilization (see 
Chapter XI) must have been exceedingly rich and varied. 
And such it was. Vast herds of buffalo roamed over 
the prairies, deer, bears, turkeys, quail, and other game 
abounded, not to mention opossums, raccoons, rabbits, wild 
cats, wolves, foxes, squirrels, and a host of less important 
forms. Now in the more thickly settled areas the larger 
animals have completely disappeared, and even in the 
wilder and less accessible parts they are fast approaching 
extinction. In the struggle for existence the invertebrate ^ 
alone seems able to cope w4th man. Insects, especially, 
prey upon the plants of his field and multiply with alarm- 
ing rapidity. In one instance at least — the invasion of 
the cotton-producing districts of the state by the Mexican 
boll weevil — they have inflicted almost incalculable damage 
upon the most important crop grown. 

It is not to be expected that the same animals will 
be of equal abundance in all parts of the state, for their 

1 The animal kingdom consists of two well-defined gronps, — animals 
with backbones, called vertebrates, and animals without backbones, 
called invertebrates. 

63 



64 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

distribution will in a greater or less degree be influenced 
by the elements of control already mentioned. On the Rio 
Grande there is a fauna in which Mexican species occur. 
" The presence of the jaguar, ocelot, and other tropical 
cats, the armadillo, and a considerable number of tropical 
birds in southeastern Texas [southern or southwest Texas] 
is the direct result of the continuous extension of the 
Tamaulipan arid fauna from Mexico into Texas." ^ 

There are also many animals in the state common to it 

and the country to the north and east. Thus the prairie dog 

ranges from '' western Texas and Kansas to 

the base of the Rocky mountains and north 

to Montana"; the raccoon ''from the eastern 

United States to the Rocky mountains " ; 

the badger " from western North America 

east to Wisconsin and Texas"; while the 

original range of the bison or buffalo was 

Pig. 38. Mexican from the Northwest Territory of the British 

Boll Weevil possessions to Mexico, and from the Rocky 

Adult, much mag- mountains to the head waters of the Ohio.2 

nmed 

Again, there are animals in the north and 
east which are represented in the west and southwest by 
closely allied varieties, as the black bear, the coyote or 
prairie wolf, the foxes, the jack rabbits, and the Virginia 
deer. Some of these varieties are characteristic of Texas, 
and in a few instances they have been dignified with the 
rank of species, as, for example, the Texas opossum and 
the Texan or fan-tailed deer. 

1 Merriam, "Life Zones and Crop Zones of the United States." 
United States Department of Agriculture, Division of Biological Sur- 
vey, Bulletin No. 10, p. 52, Washington, 1898. 

2 See "American Animals," by Stone and Cram. New York : Double- 
day, Page &Co., 1902. , 




FAUNA 65 

60. Mammals. The class of mammals includes the high- 
est forms of vertebrates or backboned animals. Its mem- 
bers are characterized by the presence of mammary glands, 




Fig, 30. Nine-Bandkd Akm. 



which supply nourishment to the young, by the high tem- 
perature of the blood, and by breathing organs in the form 




Fig. 40. Texas Peccary or Wild Hog 

of lungs. As representatives of this class in Texas the 
following animals may be mentioned: 

1. The Texas Opossum: widely distributed. 

2. The Nine-Banded Armadillo : entering Texas from Mexico ; occa- 

sionally found as far to the north and east as Austin. 



66 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



3. 



5. 



The Texas Peccary: formerly ranging from southwestern Arkan- 
sas through Texas. This hoglike animal is now found in the 
southwestern part of the state. 

The Texan or Fan-Tailed Deer: found in southwest Texas. This 
small deer is an allied species of the Virginia deer. 

The American Bison or Buffalo: practically extinct as a wild 
animal in Texas since 1880. A herd is maintained on the Good- 
night ranch, near Goodnight, Armstrong county, and repre- 
sentatives may be seen at Brackenridge Park, San Antonio. 



m^mriM -^* 



'^y 







Fig. 41. American Bison or Buffalo 



9. 



The Rabbit: several species. The long-ear or jack rabbit frequents 
the open or prairie regions of the state, while the cottontail 
seeks the more sheltered or forest-covered areas. 

The Prairie Dog : " Dog towns " are common on the western plains. 

The Squirrel: several species. The "fox squirrel" is one of the 
best known. It frequents pecan groves in abundance. 

The Bat: many species; common in caves. Bat caves are found 
in Burnet, Williamson, Lampasas, Gillespie, and several other 
counties of the state. 



FAUNA 67 

10. The Skunk: rather common. 

11. T'he Raccoon: somewhat common in timber, becoming rarer as the 

larger growth diminishes westward. 

12. The Civet Cat or Texas Bassaris: probably a visitor from Mexico. 

13. The Bear or Black Bear: formerly common in the eastern forested 

portion of the state. Now driven in retreat to more inaccessi- 
ble places in the canebrakes and river valleys and farther west. 

14. The Coyote or Prairie Wolf: a widely distributed animal or a 

series of allied varieties ranging over the western plains of 
the United States. 

15. The Mexican Jaguar: a large catlike animal found in southern 

Texas, which, like the civet cat, has probably invaded the 
state from Mexico. 

61. Birds. Greater interest has probably been accorded 
to the chiss of birds than to any other of the animal king- 
dom. There are, indeed, few people who are not attracted 
by the song, flight, color, or nesting of birds. Like other 
Gulf states, Texas is favored with an interesting bird fauna 
which ranges from the marine forms of the coast to those 
frequenting the great plains or the Llano Estacado. Much 
of this life is of a migratory character, yet we know the 
visitors so well that, overlooking their periods of absence, 
we come to regard them as characteristic of the state. 

In the following list are included most of the common 
species, but in one or two instances forms are mentioned 
which have been nearly exterminated by the murderous 
assaults of the plume hunters. 

1. The Mocking Bird : the Texas song bird ; widely distributed. " He 
sings all day, and often — if we would believe his audiences — 
he sings down the chimney all night, and when camped in 
mockerland in the full of the moon you can almost credit the 
contention " (Florence Merriam Bailey). ^ 

1 Handbook of Birds of the Western United States, p. 430. Boston and 
New York: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1902. 



68 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The Cardinal or Redhird : " a bird of striking appearance and bril- 
liant vocal powers, resident and abundant from the ]Middle 
States southward ; inhabits 
thickets, tangle, and under- 
growth of all kinds, whence 
issue its rich rolling whis- 
tling notes, while the per- 
former, brightly clad as he 







Fi<;. 42. Mocking Bird 




Fig. 43. Car 



niXAL OR Kkdijird 



is, often eludes observation by his shyness, vigilance, and 
activity " (Elliott Coues).i 

A gray-tailed variety occurs in the vicinity of Corpus Christi. 
The Lark Sparrow or Lark Finch : a common Texas bird of 
wide distribution. Head marked with chestnut brown, black, 
and white. Upper parts grayish brown, with black stripes 
on the back. Under parts grayish brown. A black spot on 
the breast. Tail tipped with white. 





Fig. 44. Lark Sparrow or 
Lark Finch 



Fig. 45. Scissor-Tailed 
Flycatcher 



4. The Coichird, Cote Blackbird, Buffalo Bird: This blackbird is 
found over most of the United States, migrating to the South 

1 Key to North American Birds, fifth edition, p. 455. Boston : Dana 
Estes & Co., 1903. 



FAUNA - 69 

ill winter. It receives the name of cowbird from its liabit of 
perching on cattle in order, it is said, to search for parasites. 

5. The Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher or Texan Bird of Paradise: notable on 

account of its long tail feathers, which are especially displayed 
in flight, opening and closing like a pair of scissors blades. 
Common in the prairie and lightly wooded districts. 

6. The Golden-Fronted Woodpecker: abounds in central and southern 

Texas. Common at San Antonio and along the foot of the 
plains. According to Dr. Sennett it is as bold and noisy as 
the red-headed w^oodpecker of the North. 

7. The Texas Woodpecker, Ladder-Backed Woodpecker, or Speckle- 

Check Woodpecker : found in the region of the Rio Grande 
and in the valleys and mountains of Trans-Pecos Texas. In 
habits it is very similar to the downy woodpecker. Frequents 
chaparral and mesquite growths. 

8. The Road-Runner, Chaparral Cock, Snake-Killer, Paisano, or Ground 

Cuckoo : " a bird of remarkable aspect, noted for its swiftness 
of foot ; aided by its wings held as outriggers, it taxes the 
horse in a race ; feeds on fruits, reptiles, insects, land mollusks, 
sometimes small mammals and birds" (Coues).^ 
Common from Austin to the Rio Grande. 

9. The Texas Screech Owl : a small gray or red form found in south- 

ern and western Texas. 

10. The Audubon Caracara, sometimes called the Mexican Buzzard : 

widely distributed along the southern border of the United 
States from Florida to Lower California. This large bird is 
of striking appearance, having a dark blackish body with a 
white collar barred with black on its lower side. Like the 
turkey vulture, it congregates in considerable numbers about 
carrion. 

11. The Mississippi Kite: adult bird of a dark ashy gray color, head 

lighter, tail and wings black, the latter crossed by a grayish 
band. Frequents the southern states as far west as western 
Texas. 

"This sturdy little kite, with its quick flight and graceful 
form and motions, has much the appearance of a falcon, but 
its weak bill and talons give it an unfalcon-like character and 

1 Key to North American Birds, p. (WO. 



70 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

mode of life. Its prey, instead of being birds and mammals, 
is mainly of such low order as insects, snakes, and frogs, and 
its hunting consequently lacks the excitement of the chase. 
It is seen flying low over the prairies among the brush patches, 
or going from tree to tree along the streams " (Vernon 
Bailey).! 

12. The Turkey Vulture or Turkey Buzzard: one of the best known 

birds of the South and West; a natural scavenger or carrion 
feeder. Common in Texas. 

13. The Mourning Dove, Turtle Dove, or Carolina Dove: widely dis- 

tributed and readily recognized by its cooing. In the more 
arid parts it seeks the water holes and streams in the morning 





Fig. 46. Texas Bob White Fig. 47. Killdeer 

and evening. Usually feeds upon the ground, taking flight 
to trees when disturbed. 

14. The Texas Boh White or Texas Quail: recognized by its whistle. 

A variety of the Virginia quail, but paler in color, the " pre- 
vailing shade rather gray than brown." Frequents thickets 
and undergrowth, Texas to Kansas. 

15. The Killdeer, Kildeer Plover, or Kildee: widely distributed. "A 

very noisy bird — the curious name is derived from its shrill 
two-syllabled whistle, like kil-deer! kil-deer! and may be spelled 
in four ways on good authority — killdeer, kildeer, kildur, kil- 
dee " (Cones) .2 

1 Handbook of Birds of the Western United States, by Florence Mer- 
riam Bailey, p. 150. 

2 Key to North American Birds, p. 775. 



FAUNA 71 

16. The Plover: several species. This is considered one of the Texas 

game birds. The golden plover is found early in the spring, 
when it sojourns for a time and then resumes its northward 
flight. The Wilson plover frequents the Coastal region, and 
the mountain plover is found in the region of the Staked 
plains. 

17. The Snipe, Common Snipe, or Wilson Snipe: another game bird. 

The southward migration of this species reaches Texas about 
October and continues for some weeks. Found about springs 
and on the coast. 

18. The Snowy Heron, Little White Egret, or '■'■Bonnet Martyr'': one 

of the plume birds, very rare on the Gulf coast. Formerly 
abundant at Corpus Christi. Found also in the salt marshes 
near the mouth of the Rio Grande, and occasionally at Gal- 
veston and other coastal points. Nearly exterminated by the 
millinery bird hunters for the sake of its plumes. 

19. The American Coot, Mud Hen, Crow Duck, Blue Peter: a slate- 

gray bird, becoming olive on the back ; head and neck darker ; 
toes scalloped on their edges. Ranges over the whole of North 
America. Common at Corpus Christi, Galveston, and else- 
where on the coast. 

20. The Canada Goose, Wild Goose, Brant: distributed like the pre- 

ceding over all of North America. Found on the Gulf coast 
during the winter migration. The hoarse honking of the wild 
geese as they fly southward just preceding the winter cold is 
especially noticeable at night. 

21. The Teal: two species, the green-winged and the blue-winged. 

These ducks are rather common, and at the proper season are 
offered for sale at the markets. 

22. The Mallard: "the best known of all the American ducks." Like 

the domestic duck in general appearance. The male has a 
glossy green head (for which reason it is sometimes called the 
" Green-head " ) follow^ed by a white ring. A game bird of 
the state at the proper season. 

23. The Pelican: two species, the American white and the browai 

pelican. These birds are at once recognized by the pouch 
beneath the lower mandible, that of the brown species being 
the laruer. 



72 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

24. The King-Billed Gull, Common American Gull: distributed over 
all of North America, coastwise and inland; migrates to the 
South for winter. Common at Corpus Christi and Galveston 
during jNIarch and April. In its general appearance this bird 
is white, with a pale gray mantle covering its back and wings. 

62. Reptiles and Amphibians. The animals representing 
these classes are, in general, readily recognized. To the 




Fig. 48. Ring-Billed Gill 



reptiles belong the crocodilians, turtles, lizards, and snakes ; 
to the amphibians, the salamanders, frogs, toads, and other 
less commcMi forms. 

The following are some of the more important reptiles 
of the state. 

Crocodilian 

1. The Alligator: found along the coastal region; especially abundant 
in the Nueces river. 

Turtles 

1. The Painted Box Tortoise: common in central Texas; frequents 

the grassy flats from Waco to McGregor (Strecker). 

2. The Snapping Turtle: common in creeks and rivers. 

3. The Louisiana Mud Turtle: found in marshes and water holes. 

4. The Soft-Shell Turtle: common in creeks. 

Lizards 

1. The Carolina Anolis or Green Lizard: widely distributed from the 
Rio Grande to Florida; rare in McLennan county (Strecker). 



FAUNA 



73 



2. The Texan Rock Lizard: "the characteristically abundant form of 

western Texas. I found it in the first plateau country to the 
heads of the Medina and Upper Llano. ... It runs with great 
rapidity, with its tail generally curved upward, displaying the 
black spots on the lower side. It prefers rocky ground and 
does not ascend trees under ordinary circumstances" (Cope).i 

3. The Tree Swift or Scaly Lizard : 

greenish yellow above, " wdth a 
series of dark transverse dorsal 
bands." Western and south- 
western Texas. Found in wooded 
regions. 

4. The Fence Lizard : " This lizard is 

found all over Texas and is very 
variable in its characters. . , . 
The colors are often brilliant, 
especially in specimens from near 
San Antonio, where the side of 
the neck and head are often of a 
bright rufous and the tail reddish 
and yellowish brown at the base. 
It is very abundant from Dallas 
w^est to Fort Concho, and south- 
west to San Antonio, and in 
the first plateau region to the 
head of the Medina river. It 
is found on the ground, but 
always takes refuge in trees, run- 
ning on and around the limbs 
with great agility" (Cope).^ 

5. The Horned Lizard, Horned Toad, or Horned Frtxf: one of the 

most common of the Texas lizards. Ranges from the Gulf 
as far north as central Kansas and Colorado. Closely allied 
species occur in California, Arizona, Utah, the tapper Missouri 
reoion, and Mexico. 




^■^f^ 



Fig. 49. Hornkd Lizard, t om- 

MOXLV CALLED HoRNED FrOc; 

OR Toad 

From Baird 



1 ''The Crocodilians, Lizards, and Snakes of North America. 
of the United States National Museum, 1898, p. 289. 
2Loc. cit., pp. 379-380. 



Report 



74 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

6. The Six-Lined Lizard: " dark brown above, marked with six yellow 
longitudinal lines, all but two of which disappear on reaching 
the tail. . . . Below, the scales are smooth and of a silvery-blue 
color." 

Rejwrted from many and widely separated localities in the 
state : llio Pecos, Laredo, Galveston, New Braunfels, Fort Davis, 
McLennan county, Cook county. 

Snakes 

1. The Spreading Adder, Viper, or Hog-Nosed Snake: "Body short 

and stout. Tail very short, and rapidly tapering, rather thicker 
than the thinnest part of the body. . . . 

" Color reddish brown above, with dark blotches. . . . The 
blotches anteriorly are nearly square, posteriorly they are 
transversely elongated. . . . 

" This species is subject to great variations of color. Some- 
times the sides of the dorsal blotches pass insensibly into the 
ground color, so as to become transverse bands. At others they 
are light internally, with a narrow margin of black " (Cope).i 

Widely distributed from the Red river to the Gulf. 

2. The Racer or Black Snake : receives the name of Black Snake from 

the lustrous pitch-black color of the upper side of the body, 
which becomes slaty to greenish white beneath. Some of the 
Texas specimens are bright yellow beneath, and of an olive 
green above. Both forms are reported from McLennan county. 

3. The Coach-whip : body long and slender, black or brownish above, 

gradually fading towards the tail. Common. 
•4. The Pilot Snake: of an ash-gray color marked with a series of 
forty-two to forty-seven dark chocolate-brown blotches. Found 
in the timbered region of eastern Texas. One of the commonest 
snakes in the timbered portions of McLennan county (Strecker). 

5. The Bull Snake : body yellowish brow^n marked " with three series 

of dorsal black blotches, forty-five to sixty-five in number," 
counting from the head to the beginning of the tail, and with 
twelve on the tail. A widely distributed species in the state. 

6. Sai/s King Snake: " The scales on the back and sides are lustrous 

black, each one with a . . . spot of ivory white, which on the 

1 Loc. cit., p. 763. 



FAUNA 



75 



sides occupy nearly the whole of the scale, but are smaller 
towards the back. . . . Beneath yellowish white, with broad 
distinct blotches of black, more numerous posteriorly " (Cope).^ 
Common in central and southern Texas. 

7. The Diamond Water Snake: the ground color above, brown, which 

by a combination of dots and transverse black bands is blocked 
off in " a series of transverse diamond-shaped or hexagonal 
spaces." Yellow below. A com- 
mon species in Texas. Found 
along creeks. 

8. Say's Garter Snake : a slender snake, 

" deep brown to black above and 
on the sides ; beneath greenish 
white." Dorsal stripe ocher 
yellow ; lateral stripe greenish 
white or yellow. It ranges from 
Dallas or farther east to the Rio 
Grande and beyond in Mexico. ^ 

THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF TEXAS ^ 

1. The Harlequin Snake, also known 

as the Coral ,S'/ia^-e and the Candy- 
stick Snake : a highly colored 
form, usually easily recognized by 
its general appearance, which is 
that " of a succession of red and 
black rings." Common in the 
Coastal region. Reported from 
the Rio Grande and Rio Pecos val- 
leys and from McLennan county. 

2. The Copperhead or Di^y Land Moccasin 

colored. General color lioht chestnut 




Fig. 50. 



Harlequin or Coral 
Snake 

From Baird 

head dark and bronze 
The inverted Y-shaped 



iLoc. cit., p. 912. 

2 Cope. Loc. cit., pp. 1022-1023. 

3 The list here given is, with a single omission, that compiled by 
Mr. J. D. Mitchell of Victoria, Texas. See "The Poisonous Snakes of 
Texas, with Notes on their Habits." Transactions of the Texas Academy 
of Science, Vol. V., pp. 21 et seq. Austin, 1903. 



7(3 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



darker blotches on the sides furnish further means for identi- 
fication. 

It frequents the timber bordering rivers and creeks. 
Tlie Coitonmouth, Water Moccasin, or Stump-Tail Moccasin: young 
individuals of a somewhat dull chestnut brown above, marked 
by twenty or thirty purj)lish-black transverse zigzag bands, 
two of which, on the same side, may unite above inclosing a 
space darker than the ground color. The underside of the body 
is black, with yellowish-white blotches. Upper side of the 




Fig. 51. Cottoxmofth or 
"Water Moccasix 

From Baird 



Fio. 52, Edwards' Massasauga 
From Baird 



head purplish black. In old individuals the color is faded and 
" the general appearance is dark, rough, and rusty." 

It ranges all over the state where there is sufficient moisture. 

4. Edwards' Massasauga: yellowish brown; '-about forty-two dorsal 

brown and irregular blotches, margined with deep black and 
encircled with a yellow fillet . . ." ; sides marked with small 
chestnut-brown blotches arranged in two series. Said to range 
throughout Texas, but apparently is not very common. 

5. The Ground Rattlesnake : "ground color dark grayish ash, minutely 

mottled. A series of thirty-eight to forty-five subcircular 



FAUNA 



77 



dorsal blotches extending from head to tail, dark brown, each 
with a narrow distinct yellowish border. Interval rather 
narrower than the spots themselves. A broad band of pur- 
plish red passes from head to tail through the blotches."^ 
Common in all parts of the state. 

The Diamond Rattlesnake: "general color yellowish gray, with 
rhomboidal black 
blotches, lighter in the 
center, and with the 
angles perfect."-^ 

Found in the tim- 
bered river bottoms of 
the coast country. 

The Texas Rattlesnake : 
"ground color above 
dull yellowish brown, 
with a series of subhex- 
agonal patches from 
the head nearly to the 
tail, in an uninter- 
rupted series separated 
throughout by narrow 
lines." ^ 

Found in western 
Texas and the coast 
country as far east as 
Matagorda county. 

The Banded Rattlesnake : 
color above from tawny 
yellow to dark brown ; beneath, whitish yellow to dark gray. 
Tt receives its name from " a dorsal series of more or less 
irregular and imperfect transverse bands " or blotches. 

Frequents the timber. Found in widely separated localities 
where proper conditions prevail. 




Fig. 53. Texas Rattlksnake 
From Baird 



1 See "The Poisonous Snakes of North America," by Leonhard Stejne- 
ger. Report of the United States National Museum for the Year ending 
June 30, 1893, p. 419. Washington, 1895. 

=2Loc. cit., p. 434. 3Loc. cit., p. 437. 



78 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

9. The Dog-Faced Rattlesnake: "general color above that of roll 
sulphur; beneath pale yellowish. Posteriorly, very faintly 
clouded with brownish. Tail black. . . . Along the back is 
a series of transverse reddish or chestnut-brown lozenges. . . . 
These lozenges are frames with the outlines generally one 
scale in width, and with the centers of the ground color ; 
sometimes divided by a median line of brown so as to show 
two yellowish spots inside of lozenges." ^ 
Reported from the Rio Pecos region. 

10. The Prairie Rattlesnake : a yellowish-brown snake marked with 

a series of dark subquadrate blotches, having their corners 
rounded and anterior and posterior sides frequently concave. ^ 
Reported from northwest Texas. 

11. The Green Rattlesnake: greenish gray above; body marked by 

nineteen black rings which are not joined on the underside. 
Found in the valley of the Rio Grande. 

Among the amphibians of the state may be mentioned 
several species of toads, of which the American toad is a 
common form, several species of tree frogs, the leopard 
frog, and the bullfrog. 

63. Fishes. The class of fishes includes aquatic gill- 
breathers having the body protected by scales, bony 
plates, or a leathery integument, and limbs in the form 
of fins. 

" With regard to its fresh-water fishes, Texas is chiefly 
remarkable for the abundance of species in its lowland 
streams. A large proportion of its species are confined 
chiefly or almost wholly to the streams of the narrow strip 
known as the Coast plain region. The lower portion of 
the larger streams crossing this teem with many species of 
valued food fishes, such as the channel cat, chuckle-headed 
cat, mud cat, buffalo, large-mouthed black bass (the ' trout ' 

iLoc. cit., p. 425. 2Loc. cit., p. 442. 



FAUNA 



79 



of the South), various species of sunfishes, aud the fresh- 
water drum." ^ 




Fig. 54. Channel or Eel Cat 




Fig. 55. Yellow or Mud Cat 




Fig. 56. Large-Mouthed Black Bass 

While an enumeration of all the fishes well known in 
Texas is not attempted, the most noticeable or important 

1 Evermann and Kendall, " The Fishes of Texas and the Rio Grande 
Basin." Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission for 1S9-2, p. 95. 



80 THE (;e()(;rapiiy of texas 

from an economic standpoint are the following : the shovel- 
nosed shark, the sawfish, the sting and other rays, sev- 
eral species of garfish, catfish, including the forms above 




Fig. 57. Red Snapper 



mentioned and many others, a variety of suckers, many 
species of minnows, herrings, sunfish, darters, the sea bass, 




Fig. 58. Southern Flounder 

the red snapper, croakers and flounders, as Avell as some 
fish of unusual shapes, such as the angel fish or moonfish, 
the toadfish and the trunkfish. It will be noted that many 
of the fishes above given are salt-water species. 

Fishing on the coast of Texas is an important industry. For the 
year ending August 31, 1904, 7,338,843 pounds were taken, valued 



FAUXA 81 

at $291,753, of which 3,151,489 were of Ked Snapper, landed at the 
port of Galveston, valued at $126,059.^ 

64. Invertebrates. Concerning the invertebrates much 
might be said. Arthropods, animals having jointed append- 
ages, abound. This branch of the animal kingdom is repre- 
sented by crustaceans, insects, spiders, and myriapods. To 
the crustaceans belong such animals as crayfish, crabs, and 
slirimps ; to the insects, bees, ants, wasps, butterflies, moths, 
beetles, flies, gnats, mosquitoes, snake doctors, etc. Of the 
noxious insects of the state the boll weevil is probably best 
known. The most striking example among the spiders is 
the tarantula, and among the myriapods, the centipede. 

By many persons the shrimp is highly esteemed as a delicacy, and 
thousands of pounds of this little crustacean are annually shipped 
from the coast to interior points. 

The branch of mollusks is repi'esented in the state by 
over five hundred species. Here are included the snails, 
or gastropods, the bivalves, or pelecypods (shellfish such 
as the oyster, clam, etc.), and other forms of interest to 
the zoologist. 

The mollusks, as to their habits and distribution, may 
be divided into terrestrial, fresh-water, and marine species. 
The last includes by far the greater number. A consider- 
ation of lower forms of the invertebrates is omitted, as the 
subject is too intricate for a book of this character. 

The cultivation of the oyster is an important industry on the Gulf 
coast. While the product of the beds in the vicinity of Corpus 
Christi is well known for the general excellence of its flavor, the 
largest shipments of this bivalve are made from Port Lavaca in 
Calhoun county. 

1 Report of Fish and Oyster Commissioner of the State of Texas (I. P. 
Kibbe)/or tfie Year endimj August 31, 1904, p. 13. 




82 



CHAPTER VIII 
INDUSTRIES 

65. Agriculture. Notwithstanding the arid condition of 
the plateau country and the desert character of much of 
the Trans-Pecos region, Texas is a leading state in agri- 
culture and is destined soon to occupy the foremost place. 
The fertility of its prairie and alluvial soils is unexcelled, 
and its wide range of climatic conditions — temperature 
and rainfall — favors a tropical and semitropical growth in 
the south and a growth of the temperate regions in the 
north. Thus within the domain of this great " empire " 
cotton and corn, wheat, oats, and rice, sugar cane and 
tobacco, vegetables and fruits can be successfully grown, 
not to mention other plants useful for forage. 

66. Cotton. Texas produces more cotton than any other 
state in the Union. For the season of 1900-1901 it 
amounted to 3,526,649 bales of 500 pounds each. This is 
the largest crop made in the state up to the present time 
(1905). In the accompanying diagram (Fig. 60), the entire 
cotton crop of the United States for the season of 1902- 
1903 is shown. It will there be seen that Texas leads the 
next following state, Mississippi, by over a million bales. 
The Map of the Texas Cotton Belt (Fig. 61) includes all 
the counties which produced over 10,000 bales during the 
census year (1899). 

In addition to the fiber, which is manufactured into 
cloth and batting, the seeds of the cotton plant yield a 

83 



84 



THE (iP:()GRAPHY OF TEXAS 



valuable oil which is widely used for a variety of purposes 
and even as a substitute for olive oil. In the state there 
are over one hundred and fifty cotton-seed-oil mills, one of 
the largest in the world being located at Sherman. Cotton- 



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seed hulls, and the ground cake called " meal," from which 
the oil has been expressed, are valuable for stock feeding. 

67. Cereals. The leading cereals of the state are, in the 
order of their importance, corn, wheat, oats, and rice. 
Barley and rye are raised in small amounts. 

The corn crop for 1904 reached 136,702,699 bushels, 
having a value of over seventy-one million dollars.^ The 
leading corn-producing counties ^ are Collin, Grayson, 
Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Hill, Williamson, Hunt, McLennan, 
Bell, and Lamar. 

The wheat crop for 1904 amounted to 12,483,562 
bushels, valued at over thirteen million seven hundred 

1 Crop Reporter (supplement) published by authority of the Secretary 
of Agriculture, Vol. 6, No. 8, p. 66. Washington, D.C., December, 1904. 

2 Based on the Bepurt of the Twelfth Census. 



INDUSTRIES 



85 



thousand dollars.^ The leading wlieat-producing counties ^ 
are Collin, Denton, Tarrant, Grayson, Cooke, and Ellis. 

The oat crop for 1904 reached 28,688,320 bushels, 
valued at over twelve million six hundred thousand dollars.^ 




Fig. CI. Mat of the Texas Cotton Belt 



Tlie leading oat-producing counties ^ are Grayson, Collin, 
Hill, Hunt, Dallas, McLennan, Ellis, and Fannin. 

1 Crop Reporter (supplement) published by authority of the Secretary 
of Agriculture, Vol. 0, No. 8, p. 60. AVashington, D.C., December, 1904. 

2 Based on the Report of the Twelfth Census. 



86 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The " rice belt " of the state borders the Gulf, extend- 
ing from the Sabine river to the Rio Grande. As the 
crop is raised mainly by irrigation, this belt has rapidly 
spread inland until it has now reached Chappel Hill on 
the Brazos, Columbus on the Colorado, and Cuero on the 
Guadalupe. 

A few years ago two general rice-producing sections 
were recognized in Texas, the Beaumont and the Colorado 




Fig. 62. A Texas Cotton Field 



river valley sections. ^ These two sections are now prac- 
tically blended and are further increased by the rice- 
producing counties along the Guadalupe river. This 
enlarged section extends along the coast from the Louisiana 
line to the Guadalupe river, embracing the following coun- 
ties : Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Liberty, Galveston, 
Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Waller, Matagorda, Wharton, 
Colorado, Austin, Jackson, Calhoun, Victoria, and Dewitt. 

1 "Rice Irrigation in Texas," Bulletin of The University of Texas, 
No. IG, 1902, p. 13. 



IXDUSTRTES 



87 



A second, or Rio Grande, section includes the irrigated 
rice farms of Cameron county. 

For the year 1904 the rice acreage of the state has 
been estimated at 234,200 acres and the rice crop at 
8,314,100 bushels, valued at 85,48T,306.i 




Fig. 03. Map of Texas showing the Rice Belt and the 
East Texas Fruit Region 



68. Fruit and Vegetables. Fruit raising has become in 
recent years an important industry. The soils of East 
Texas are especially adapted to the growth of fine peaches, 
and one variet}^ the Elberta, has won an excellent reputa- 
tion not only at home but in the northern markets. In 
1 Cro}) Reporter (Supplement), Vol. C, No. 8, p. (57. 



88 TiiK (;i:()(;kapiiy of Texas 

southern Texas strawberries and similar fruits ripen early, 
and their successive appearance follows in a procession 
across the state. Within the limits of sufficient rainfall, 
especially in the eastern and southern parts of the state, 
and beyond, where irrigated, vegetables grow in the 
greatest profusion. In fact, the raising of small fruits 
and vegetables is an industry capable of almost infinite 
expansion. 

Watermelons are shipped in large quantities from San 
Patricio, Waller, Bee, and Dewitt counties in southern 
Texas, and from Smith county in eastern Texas. Galveston 
and Brazoria counties lead in the production of straw- 
berries, followed by Smith county. The principal points 
of shipment of East Texas peaches are Tyler, Swan, and 
Lindale in Smith county, and Jacksonville in Cherokee 
county. Nueces and Bee counties lead in the production 
of vegetables, which are successfully grown in the coast 
country, for the distance of a hundred miles inland, and 
also in eastern Texas. While tomatoes are raised in the 
greatest abundance in the latter region, especially in Smith, 
Cherokee, and Nacogdoches counties, they are also exten- 
sively grown in the Coastal belt and in many other localities 
under irrigation. 

Within the last few years attention has been directed to 
the cultivation of the Irish potato, and with such success 
that the crop for 1904 reached 2,246,112 bushels, valued 
at over two million dollars. At Laredo, Cotidla, and other 
points excellent onion crops have been secured. 

69. Nuts. An important nut crop is furnished by the 
pecan trees which fringe the streams in the central and 
south central parts of the state, especially in San Saba, 
Brown, Lampasas, Coleman, Colorado, and Bexar counties. 




Fig. 64. Japanese Kk k Faumeks xeak Port Lavaca, 
Calhoun County 




Fici. G5. Kre Threshing at Kavwood, Liherty County, 
ON THE Texas and New Orleans Railroad (Southern 
Pacific) 



80 



90 TIIK (ii:()(;i{APIIY OF TEXAS 

Nuts of a good quality are always in demand and meet 
with a ready sale. It would seem that the cultivation of 
this tree would be profitable, as there are many parts of 
the state where it could be successfully grown. 

70. Other Agricultural Products. The production of hay 
and forage crops is an industry of much importance. They 
include prairie grasses, millet, alfalfa, and certain of the 
grains and cane sown for forage and cut green. The 
hay crop for 1904 was valued at over five million eight 
hundred thousand dollars. 

In acreage of sorghum cane Texas ranks third. 

The growth of sugar cane is confined to the southern 
portion of the state, and the production of sugar is an 
industry not yet fully developed. The farms are chiefly 
in Fort Bend, Wharton, Matagorda, Colorado, Brazoria, 
and Cameron counties. 

The state has a plantation of 8210 acres in the sugar 
district of Wharton county upon which convict labor is 
employed. A large and costly sugar mill has been erected 
there. One of the largest mills and refineries in the South 
is situated at Sugarland, Fort Bend county, twenty-four 
miles southwest of Houston. 

Among the miscellaneous agricultural products may be 
mentioned broom corn, tobacco, and peanuts. The cul- 
tivation of tobacco is an industry full of promise. The 
crop for 1904 was valued at over fifty-four thousand 
dollars. 

71. Stock Raising. On account of the diminished rain- 
fall the western half of the state is unsuited to agriculture. 
In this region, which includes a large part of the Central 
basin, the Llano Estacado, the Edwards and Stockton 
plateaus, and the Rio Grande plain, stock raising is 




Fk;. ()0. Tkxas Cuw 




Fig. 07. Cattle at a Watkr Tank ox the Plains 
91 



92 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



the chief industry. Great herds of cattle, not to men- 
tion numberless sheep and horses, here find a growth of 



6 10 15 80 25 50 35 40 45 50 55 60 66 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 



TEXAS 




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Fk;. 08. DlAGlJAMMATlC ILLUSTRATION OF THE Nl MHElt (►F NfAT 

Cattle in the Leai)IN<; States? 
The vertical divisions indicate hundreds of thousands 



nutritious grasses which afford them an excellent support. 
This is the land of the cowboy and large ranches. In 




Fio. ()<». A West Texas Ranch II.msk C' — X— Ranch") 



the number of beef cattle Texas ranks first of all the 
states. 



IXDrsTUIKS 



93 



On January 1, 1905, the number of horses in Texas was 
1,277,000, valued at 145,308,000; the number of mules. 





Tl 


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Fig. 70. A Pecos COixty liANcn Hoisk, Santa LrciA 

391,000, valued at 123,800,000; the number of milch 
cows, 838,000, valued at 116,617,000; and 8,249,000 




Fio. 71. AxcioHA Goats, Bo»hii-i as, Hi!k\\stkh Coixtv 



of other cattle, valued at f 83,260,000. In addition to the 
horses and cattle there were 1,617,000 sheep, valued at 
$3,356,000; and 2,525,000 swine, valued at 111,817,000. 



94 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

These figures will serve to show the magnitude of the 
livestock industry of the state. 

72. Wool Growing. Wool growing is an important indus- 
try notwithstanding the fact that Texas ranks eighth in 
the list of wool-producing states. The counties making 
the largest returns are Edwards, Pecos, Crockett, Yal- 
verde, Sutton, Webb, Hamilton, Burnet, Coleman, Kerr, 
and Lampasas. For the season of 1899-1900 the wool 
crop of the state was 9,638,002 pounds. In addition to this 
Texas produces more goat hair (mohair) than any other 
state of the Union, reaching 274,810 pounds for the 
season of 1899-1900. 

73. Poultry, Honey, and Wax. Texas leads all the 
states in the number of turkeys raised, and ranks well for 
chickens, ducks, and geese. The annual valuation of 
poultry exceeds five million dollars, and that of eggs four 
and a half million dollars. 

Texas also leads in the production of honey. Bee 
culture is another industry capable of much greater 
development. At present the largest yields of honey 
are from Uvalde, Williamson, Travis, Bell, and Coryell 
counties ; and of wax, from Williamson, Houston, Leon, 
and Milam counties.^ 

74. Manufacturing. " Although Texas is an agricultural 
and stock-raising state . . . there has been a large growth 
in its manufacturing and mechanical industries during the 
half century [1850-1900]. The population during these 
years increased from 212,592 to 3,048,710, while the aver- 
age number of wage-earners employed in manufacturing 
establishments increased from 1,066 to 48,153, embracing, 
in 1900, 1.6 per cent of the entire population, compared 

1 Based upon Report of Twelfth Census. 



IXDUSTIIIES 95 

with five tenths of 1 per cent in 1850. Probably the best 
indication of the importance of the wage-earning class is 
afforded by the greatest number employed at any one time 
during the jenv. In 1900 this was 77,995, or 2.6 per cent 
of the total population of the state." ^ 

75. Manufacturing Industries. The manufacturing indus- 
tries of the state include shops for the construction of cars 
and the repair of railroad appliances, saw, planing, and 
other wood-working mills, cotton-seed-oil mills, flour and 
grist mills, rice mills, machine shops and foundries, black- 
smith and wheelwright establishments, wagon factories, ice 
factories, cement works, marble and stone works, canneries 
of fruit and vegetables, tobacco factories, breweries, bottling 
works, broom factories, candy factories, cotton mills, woolen 
mills, plants for the manufacture of brick and tile, salt 
works, printing and publishing establishments, book bind- 
eries, harness and saddlery establishments, etc. Here should 
also be included gins for the seeding of cotton, and com- 
presses for the preparation of the bales for shipment. 

The various industries above enumerated will be further 
treated in the account of the cities and towns of the state 
in later chapters, and reference will be made to the min- 
ing and quarrying industries in the chapter on Mineral 
Resources following. 

1 Report of the Twelfth Census, Vol. VIII, Part II, p. 862. 



CHAPTER IX 
MINERAL RESOURCES 

Of the large number of minerals and mineral substances 
found in Texas the following are of commercial importance. 

76. Coal and Lignite. The fossil fuels included under 
these names differ in age, composition, and heating power. 
Of the two, coal is the more valuable. The coals of Texas 
are found interstratified with the rocks of the Carboniferous 
and Cretaceous systems. The lignites contain a higher 
percentage of water and a lower percentage of carbon ; 
thej are therefore inferior to the coals as a fuel. The 
Texas lignites are confined to the Eocene rock system. 
Although these fuels are not of the highest grade, they 
are, nevertheless, exceedingly valuable in a large state 
of which many parts are entirely destitute of timber. 

Carboniferous coal occurs in the eastern part of the 
Central basin. Only two of the nine seams known to 
exist are at present worked, viz., numbers 1 and 7. The 
former varies in thickness from fourteen to twenty-eight 
inches and is extensively mined at Thurber in Erath 
county. Here the Texas and Pacific Coal Company 
operates four collieries and has an output of 400,000 tons 
annually. This seam is also mined near Bridgeport in 
Wise county, at Rockcreek in Parker county, and near 
Strawn in Palo Pinto county. Seam number 7 is worked 
at Cisco and somewhat irregularly in the southern part of 
Coleman county. It was formerly worked near Bowie in 

96 




Jmg. 7: 



97 



98 



THE (;eo(;raphy of ^fexas 



Montague county. The distribution of the Carboniferous 
rocks of the North Texas coal fields is shown on the 
accompanying map (Fig. 72). The northern, known as 
the Brazos field, is separated from the southern, known 
as the Colorado field, by a belt of Cretaceous rocks. 

Cretaceous coal is mined at Eagle Pass in what has been 
termed the Eagle Pass or Nueces coal field, which lies in 




Fig. 73. A Texas Coal Mine, Thurber. Eratii County 



Maverick county. The output of two mines is about 
three hundred tons daily. 

Lignite is found in many places along the outcrop of 
Eocene strata (see map, Fig. 74). In the Santo Tomas 
coal field, north of Laredo, it resembles true coal. Two 
mines here furnish an output of about five hundred tons 
daily. Lignite is also mined near Rockdale in Milam 
county, Lytle in Atascosa county, Calvert in Robertson 
county, Crockett in Houston county. Alba in Wood county, 



.MIXEKAL KESOUllCES 



99 



Timpson in Shelby county, and elsewhere in the state. Its 
seams vary much in thickness. Some exceed ten feet, and 
there are mines in which more than one seam can be worked. 
77. Oil (Petroleum). While oil is widely distributed in 
Texas, it is found in quantities sufficient for commercial 




Fk;. 74. Map <>r Thxas showing the Lignite, Coal, and 
Petroleum Areas 



purposes in but few places. That there are still undis- 
covered fields there can be little doubt. Its presence 
beneath the surface is often made known by the occurrence 
of natural gas (noticed at springs), bitter waters, and 
asphaltic deposits. It is obtained by boring and is encoun- 
tered at various depths, ranging in tliis state from a few 



100 



THE flEOGRAPIIY OF TEXAS 




hundred feet to over 
a thousand feet. Oils 
from different fields 
vary in character. Some 
are suitable for the pro- 
duction of kerosene and 
gasoline, others are best 
adapted for fuel pur- 
poses, and still others 
are valuable as lubri- 
cants. 

The Beaumont oil 
field, near the city of 
Beaumont in Jefferson 
county, has been the 
most productive. The 
first well, the forerunner 
of a large number of 
'^gushers," was brought 
in January 10, 1901. 
This was followed by a 
period of great activity 
and many wells were put 
down with good results. 
They were, however, 
crowded upon a very 
limited area known as 
Spindle-top Heights. In 
their vicinity great stor- 
age tanks have been 
erected. Several pipe 
lines connect this held 



Vu 



Tin: P.i:vTTv (ii siiki;. P.i 
On, FiKi.i.. IDOI 







lUl 



102 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

with the shippmg pomt, Port Arthur, where a hirge refinery 
has been erected. The output of the Beaumont field for 
1902 was estimated at 18,000,000 barrels. At the present 
time there is a great falling off, and its practical exhaustion 
seems near at hand. 

The Corsicana oil field is probably next in importance. 
Petroleum was first discovered here in 1894 while drilling 
for water. In 1896 it was found to exist in sufficient 
quantity for shipment and refinement. Since that time 
the production of oil has been steadily carried on. Cor- 
sicana has a refinery, and a second is located at Powell, 
eight miles to the east. 

Valuable flows of oil have also been developed in Hardin 
county at Sourlake (Fig. 76), Saratoga, and Batson and in 
Harris county at Humble. Oil in smaller quantities has 
been encountered in Nacogdoches county, southeast of the 
town of Nacogdoches, and in Bexar, Travis, Clay, and 
Brown counties. 

78. Asphaltum (Mineral Pitch). Asphalt is a substance 
closely related to petroleum. It is valuable for the manu- 
facture of paint and varnish, and especially as a pavement 
material. It is found in deposits of commercial value in 
Uvalde county, near Saint Jo in Montague county, and 
near Palestine in Anderson county. It occurs in smaller 
deposits in numerous other localities. 

79. Natural Gas. The occurrence of large volumes of 
natural gas in the oil fields is a well-known fact. It is 
also found in many other places in the state. That it is an 
excellent fuel for both manufacturing and heating purposes 
and valuable as a luminant, the wonderful development of 
the Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana gas fields during the 
last twenty years affords ample proof. 



MINERAL RESOURCES 



103 



111 Texas, as yet, there has been little effort made to 
utilize this product, notwithstanding the cost of desirable 
fuel. A beginning, however, has been made at Corsicana 
for heating purposes, and at Matagorda it is employed in 
some of the rice-irrigating plants. 

80. Iron Ores. Brown iron ore, or Limonite, in several 
varieties, occurs over a large part of northeast Texas, 
covering portions of nineteen counties and an area of 
about one thousand square miles (see Fig. 26). It is 





Fii,. 



A BuKNixG Gas Well near Corsicana 



associated with the rocks of the Eocene system, and the 
ore beds often form the cap stone of the flat-topped hills 
in the Forested area (see Fig. 9). There are iron furnaces 
at Rusk (state penitentiary) in Cherokee county, and at 
Jefferson in Marion county. 

Magnetic iron ore, or Magnetite^ is found in the Cen- 
tral Mineral region, as is also the Red iron ore, or Hema- 
tite ; but the scarcity of fuel and heavy transportation 
charges have retarded the manufacture of iron in this 



104 



THE Gi:OGRAPIIY OF TEXAS 



locality. The magnetite and hematite ores of the Trans- 
Pecos region have not yet been commercially developed, 
though ore bodies of considerable thickness have been 
discovered. 

81. Quicksilver or Mercury. Clnnahar, the ore from 
which quicksilver is obtained, is mined at Terlingua in 




Fio 



78. Thp: Terlingua Mining Company's FrRNACE, Terlingua, 
Brewster County 



The cinnabar is roasted in the furnace on the right, and the mercurial 
vapor given off in the process is conveyed to the condensers on the 
left, eight in number, where it is cooled to the liquid form, the 
quicksilver of commerce 

Brewster county. The district as now known is rec- 
tangular in shape, running east and west, about fifteen 
miles long by four miles wide. It lies twelve miles north 
of the Rio Grande. Furnaces for the production of quick- 
silver have been built and are in operation at Terlingua. 
Over five thousand flasks of 76.5 pounds each were pro- 
duced in 1904. 



MINERAL RESOURCES 105 

82. Gold and Silver. The precious metals are not to be 
expected outside of the Central ^Mineral region, or Llano 
country,^ and the Trans-Pecos region. In those parts of the 
state free gold is obtained in small amounts. Native silver 
is found in the Trans-Pecos region. It is mined at Shafter,^ 
and is reported as having been found at the Hazel mine 
north of Allamoore in El Paso county. Like gold, silver 
usually occurs associated with the ores of other metals. 

83. Copper and Lead. Copper and lead ores are found 
both in the Llano country and the Trans-Pecos region, 
but as yet neither copper nor lead has been produced in 
commercial quantities. 

Copper ores are also found in the Permian rocks of 
northern Texas, distributed through beds of clay or at times 
replacing the branches of fossil trees (Archer, Wichita, 
Montague, Hardeman, Wilbarger, Haskell, Baylor, Stone- 
wall, and Knox counties). 

84. Salt. Salt is found in lakes and seeps and, as rock 
salt, it occurs interstratified with other rocks of sedi- 
mentary origin. Occasionally, by the rapid evaporation 
of sea water, it is formed in some of the lagoons of 
the lower coast. Commercially valuable beds have been 
encountered by boring at Colorado in Mitchell county, at 
Grand Saline in Van Zandt county, west of Palestine in 
Anderson county, and at Dayton in Liberty county. In the 

1 The "Llano country " is the region lying along the Llano river, a 
tributary of the Colorado, and should not be confused with the Llano 
Estacado or Staked plains. 

2 The only continuously successful silver mine in Texas is at Shafter, 
Presidio county, forty-seven miles south from INIarfa. It has been in 
active operation for fifteen or sixteen years and is credited with nearly 
.^7,000,000 worth of silver. — William B. Phillips, The University of Texas, 
Mineral Survey, Bulletin No. 5, p. 104. 



lOG THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

three localities first mentioned salt is manufactured by the 
evaporation of a brine secured by the introduction of water 
into wells penetrating the layers or strata of rock salt. 

85. Sulphur. Large deposits of sulphur have been dis- 
covered at several points in the Delaware creek region, 
which is situated in the northeast part of El Paso county, 
but on account of their remoteness they have not yet 
been commercially developed. Sulphur has also been 
encountered in most of the oil wells of the Coastal region. 
A fine deposit is said to have been penetrated in drilling 
for oil at Damon Mound in Brazoria county. 

86. Gypsum, Lime, and Cement Rocks. — There are large 
and valuable deposits of gypsum in the state, especially in 
the Permian area of the Central basin region. At pres- 
ent this mineral is commercially utilized at Acme, near 
Quanah, in Hardeman county. Here there are two plants 
actively engaged in the manufacture of plaster.^ 

Lime is produced by the burning or calcining of lime- 
stone. Rocks adapted to this purpose are found chiefly 
in the Cretaceous system. The lime from the kilns at 
McNeil (" Austin white lime ") is well known for its 
excellent quality. 

Cements of value are manufactured from limestones and 
clays. At times clayey limestones are found which, when 
burned, will produce a cement, but more frequently it is 
necessary to mix the ingredients artificially. The former 
product is hydraulic cement, the latter, Portland cement. 
Both possess the property of hardening beneath water 
and are therefore of great service in masonry construction. 
Materials suitable for the manufacture of cement are found 

1 Plaster of Paris is gypsum from which the water held in chemical 
combination has been expelled. 



MINERAL RP:sOURCES 107 

in a number of places, but its production in quantity seems 
to be confined to the works established at San Antonio and 
Dallas. 

87. Clay. Clays of economic value abound in Texas. 
Along the Gulf coast they appear in the deposits of the 
Neocene age ; farthei* inland they occur with the deposits 
of the Eocene age and are often associated with beds of 
lignite ; still farther inland they are interstratified with 
rocks of .the Cretaceous, Carboniferous, and Permian ages. 
As alluvial deposits they are found along the rivers and, 
though impure, they serve a variety of useful purposes. 

At the present time the clays of the state are chiefly 
used in the manufacture of bricks, and as they differ 
widely in quality there is a corresponding difference in 
the manufactured product. At Austin a light cream- 
colored or '^ Milwaukee " brick is burned from the alluvial 
deposits of the Colorado river ; at Elgin in Bastrop 
county a beautiful red brick is manufactured from clay of 
the Eocene system; at several points on the line of the 
Texas and Pacific Railway, in Palo Pinto county, and at 
Thurber in Erath county, red bricks for the Fort Worth 
and Dallas markets are burned from Carboniferous clays, 
and at El Paso and Laredo brickmaking materials are 
furnished by the deposits of the Rio Grande. In very 
many localities good bricks are made, but oftentimes they 
are mottled or '' off color," due to the presence of iron in 
the clay. This is especially true of the East Texas prod- 
uct, yet by a careful selection of materials these defects 
could in a great measure be remedied. 

Clays suitable for the manufacture of tile, drain and 
sewer pipe, terra cotta, and various forms of pottery, such 
as flowerpots, jugs, and other forms of earthenware, are 



108 TPIE CiEOGRAPIIY OF TEXAS 

also found in the state. Establishments for the utilization 
of these clays are in active operation at Athens in Hen- 
derson county, Henderson in Rusk county, McDade in 
Bastrop county, Marshall in Harrison county, Saspanico 
in Wilson county, Elmendorf in Bexar county, Denton in 
Denton county, Tyler in Smith county, Winnsboro in Wood 
county, and many other places. 

Clay suitable for the manufacture of fire brick and 
other refractory articles occurs in a number of localities. 
The fire brick from Henderson county have stood excel- 
lent tests both in the iron furnace at Rusk and in lime 
kilns. 

88. Building and Ornamental Stones. There are excel- 
lent granites in Burnet, Llano, Mason, and Gillespie 
counties. The pink granite from the Granite mountain 
quarries near Marble Falls in Burnet county is a beauti- 
ful stone and, although somewhat coarse, takes a good 
polish. Rough dressed it has been used in the construc- 
tion of the State Capitol at Austin and in many smaller 
structures in different parts of the state. In the form of 
large blocks it has been employed in building the jetties 
and the riprap in front of the sea wall at Galveston. A 
gray granite from near Llano is used for monumental and 
other purposes. The granites from the Trans-Pecos region 
are also of a gray color, both light and dark, but as yet 
they have not been utilized. 

Among the limestones those of the Cretaceous system 
are most extensively used. Near Austin there are several 
horizons which furnish valuable building material. These 
rocks are soft and light colored, but harden upon exposure 
and often lose their brightness. Cretaceous limestones 
have also been used in the northern part of the state, as at 



MIXKllAL IJKSorUCKS 



109 



Decatur in Wise county. The Carboniferous and Permian 
systems likewise furnish good limestones. Carboniferous 
limestones have been used for buildings in Albany, Palo 
Pinto, Baird, and elsewhere, and Permian limestones at 
Ballinger, Seymour, and other places. A blue Carboniferous 




Fi( 



'9. OxK 



OF THE Quarries at Granite Moi ntaix, 
Bt'rnet CorxTV 



From this outcrop of granite was taken the stone used in huilding the 
State Capitol at Austin, and in construotino- the jetties, and later the 
riprap on the exposed side of the new sea wall at Galveston 

limestone from Santo in Palo Pinto county has been used 
for paving at Dallas. 

Of the sandstones found within the state, the most beau- 
tiful is that quarried near BarstOAv in Ward county. It is 
of a red color, an even texture, and is easily worked. In 
the eastern part of the Central basin, in the Carboniferous 
area, there is an abundance of good sandstone. In many 



110 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

instances it is preferred to limestone on account of the 
ease with which it may be quarried and dressed. Sand- 
stone of good quality has been quarried in Palo Pinto 
county, on the Texas and Pacific Railway near the Brazos 
river, for use in Fort Worth and Dallas, and near Mineral- 
wells for local use ; also in Montague county for use at 
Bowie and Montague, and in Eastland county for use at 
Cisco and Ranger. Sandstones of the Permian system 
have been used at Wichita Falls and Henrietta with good 
results. Among the older rocks of Burnet county there 
are sandstones suitable for curbing. Nearer the coast 
sandstone has been quarried at Quarry station in the 
northern part of Washington county, and at Rockland in 
Tyler county. Along the Gulf border and in eastern Texas 
the lack of consolidation renders the rock unsuited to 
building purposes, but the indurated sands occurring in 
the vicinity of Crockett in Houston county have been to 
some extent utilized. 

There are many stones in the state that may be classed 
as ornamental. They include the opal granite of Llano 
county, which in the polished form is remarkable for its 
beauty; the agates of Presidio and Brewster counties ; 
the golden onyx from San Saba county; the serpentines 
of Gillespie and Llano counties; the marbles, in various 
colors, of Llano county and the Trans-Pecos region; the 
Austin marble, a fossiliferous limestone of the Cretaceous 
age, which takes a fine polish ; and various other lime- 
stones found in different and widely separated localities. 

89. Fertilizers. Materials of value as fertilizers occur- 
ring in the state are bat guano, gypsum, greensand marls 
and calcareous marls. Bat guano is found in caverns 
chiefly in the south central counties of the state. It is 



MINERAL RESOURCES 111 

quite valuable as a fertilizer, ranking second only to Peru- 
vian guano. Gypsum abounds in the Permian area of the 
Central basin. When ground it is known as ''land plas- 
ter," and as such is used in other states to advantage. 
The greensand marls of eastern Texas, it is thought, are of 
sufficient importance to merit attention. While not of 
the highest grade, there are undoubtedly lands that would 
be greatly benefited by them. The value of calcareous 
marls in agriculture is well known, and their applica- 
tion to clayey and sandy soils is mechanically as well as 
chemically advantageous. The marly layers of several 
Cretaceous formations seem to be well adapted to such 
use. ^ 



CHAPTER X 
RAILROADS 

90. The Pioneer Railroads. Railroad construction in 
Texas dates from 1852. Although the first charter for 
a railroad had been granted to the Texas Railroad and 
Navigation Company by the Congress of the Republic as 
early as 1836, the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado 
Railway, now a part of the Galveston, Harrisburg and 
San Antonio Railway, was the first road actually to under- 
take the work of building. Beginning at Harrisburg 
in 1852, it reached Alleyton, near the Colorado river, 
opposite Columbus, eighty miles from the initial point, 
in 1860. 

In 1853 the building of the Galveston and Red River 
Railroad was begun at Houston. By July, 1856, twenty- 
five miles had been constructed. In the meantime, how- 
ever, through reorganization, its name had been changed to 
the Houston and Texas Central Railway. In 1860, when, 
on account of the disturbed condition of the country 
immediately preceding the Civil War, the work of con- 
struction ceased, this road had reached Millican, eighty- 
one miles from Houston. 

The third road in the order of construction was the 
Galveston, Houston and Henderson, which was begun at 
Virginia Point, on the mainland near Galveston, in 1854. 
Three years later forty miles, covering the distance to 
Harrisburg, had been completed, 

112 



RAILROADS 113 

In 1856 new work was undertaken in three widely 
separated parts of the state. The San Antonio and Mexi- 
can Gulf Railroad beginning this year at Port Lavaca was 
completed to Victoria, twenty-eight miles, early in 1861. 
This road suffered destruction during the Civil War, but 
was rebuilt and is now a part of the Gulf, Western Texas 
and Pacific Railway (Southern Pacific). 

The same year, 1856, work was begun on a branch of 
the Southern Pacific Railway ^ near Caddo Lake, built 
chiefly for the transportation of materials to be used in the 
construction of its main line. Later, in 1866, when all- 
rail connection had been established between Marshall and 
Shreveport, this branch was abandoned. The main line is 
now a part of the Texas and Pacific Railway. 

The city of Houston, to secure connection with the 
Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway at Pierce, 
seven miles distant, also became a railroad builder in 1856. 
The Houston Tap, as the new road was termed, was sold 
to the Houston Tap and Brazoria Railroad and now forms 
a part of the International and Great Northern. 

The construction of the Memphis, El Paso and Pacific 
Railway was begun in Bowie county, near Texarkana, in 
February, 1857. It was the intention of tlie builders to 
bring the rails and other necessary material up the Sul- 
phur fork of Red river by steamboats to ^Moore's Landing 
(now Sulphur Station), and in fact some of the rolling 
stock had already reached that destination when by an unex- 
pected addition to the Great Raft navigation from below 
was completely suspended. It then became necessary to 
build a branch line, forty-two miles in length, to Jefferson, 
on Caddo Lake, to which point river steamers had free 
1 Not the present Southern Pacitic Company. 



114 THE CtP:OGRAPHY of TEXAS 

access, in order to bring material needed in the construction 
of the main line. Five miles of this branch had been com- 
pleted and seventy-five miles of the main line made ready 
for the rails at the outbreak of the Civil War. This was 
the initial work on the line of the present Texas and Pacific 
Railway. 

The Washington County Railroad originated in the 
desire on the part of the farmers of one of the richest 
agricultural regions of the state for a wider market, such 
as would be afforded by direct connection with the seaport 
of Galveston. To that end work was begun on this rail- 
road also in February, 1857. In 1860 twenty-five miles, 
between Hempstead, on the Houston and Texas Central, 
and Brenham, were completed. This road was absorbed 
by the Houston and Texas Central, becoming a part of 
the Austin branch. 

Under the charter name of Sabine and Galveston Bay 
Railroad and Lumber Company work was begun at Hous- 
ton, in 1858, upon a line to the Sabine river to connect 
with a road from Berwick's Bay, Louisiana, and ultimately 
to form part of an all-rail route to New Orleans. The 
following year its name was changed to Texas and New 
Orleans Railroad. By 1861 it had reached the Sabine 
at the town of Orange. 

These roads, together with the Indianola Railroad, 
chartered in 1858 and, after grading a few miles, merged, 
in 1860, with the San Antonio and Mexican Gulf Railway, 
were the pioneer railroads of Texas. 

91. Railroad Construction during and since the Civil War. 
In 1860 there were three hundred and seven miles of rail- 
road in actual operation in the state. Although one hun- 
dred and forty-four miles were added during the years 



RAILROADS 115 

18(31 and 1862, the period of the great Civil War was not 
conducive to railroad building, and in 1863 and 1864 there 
was no construction whatever. The years immediately fol- 
lowing the war up to 1869 were years of financial depres- 
sion in the South, and the total increase in Texas railroads 
amounted to only sixty-two miles. That year, however, 
seventy additional miles were put into operation. The 
smallest addition to the mileage of the state since 1868, 
which, like the years 1863 and 1864, witnessed no con- 
struction, was in 1875 thirty-five miles. The years of 
greatest activity in railroad building, on the other hand, 
were 1881, sixteen hundred and sixty-nine miles, and 1882, 
ten hundred and ninety-six miles. 

The total mileage of the state for the year ending June 
30, 1904, is 11,502.95, exclusive of about one hundred miles 
of logging or tram roads, not recognized by the State Rail- 
road Commission as common carriers, and the interurban 
electric lines between Fort Worth and Dallas and between 
Denison and Sherman, aggregating forty-two miles.^ 

92. Railroad Systems. Although all railroads now oper- 
ating in Texas are obliged by law to organize as separate 
and distinct lines and to maintain general offices in the 
state, most of them fall within one of the seven dominating 
"systems" here given, namely, the Southern Pacific, the 
Gould, the Santa Fe, the " Katy," the Denver, the Rock 
Island, and the '* Frisco." 

Southern Pacific System. 1. Galveston, Harrisburg and San 
Antonio Railway. Houston to the Rio Grande bridge via Richmond, 
Eagle Lake, Columbus, Weimar, Schulenburg, Waelder, Luling, 
Seguin, San Antonio, Uvalde, Delrio, San Elizario, Ysleta, and El 

1 On the authority of R. A. Thompson, C.E., chief engineer of the 
Railroad Counnission of Texas. 



116 



THE GEOGRArilY OF TEXAS 



Paso; Spoiford to Eagle Pass; Harwood to Gonzales; Smith Junc- 
tion to La Grange ; Harrisbiirg to Stella. Mileage/ 917. 

2. Texas and New Orleans Railroad. Houston to Sabine river 
(Orange county) via Beaumont and Orange ; Dallas to Sabine Pass 



i 
♦ 












fcdi 


-i«^-..' 


• --4 


1 

Li 


^^ni 


r 






E 






•1 









Fig. 80. A Part of the Pecos Rivek Vjadlct on the Line 
OF the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway 
(Southern Pacific) 

This structure, 2184 feet long and 321 feet high, is tlie highest bridge in North 
America and the third highest in the world. Of greater interest to the geog- 
rapher is the view of tlie Pecos valley at this point 

via Kaufman, Athens, Jacksonville, Nacogdoches, Woodville, Warren, 
and Beaumont. Mileage, 439.84. 

3. Gulf, Western Texas and Pacific Railway. Cuero to Port 
Lavaca; Victoria to Beeville. ^Mileage, 111.20. 

4. New York, Texas and INIexican Railway. Rosenberg to Vic- 
toria via Wharton and Edna ; Wharton to Hawkinsville via Van 
Vleck ; A^an Vleck to Tres Palacios. Mileage, 176.72. 

1 The mileage for all railroads is that of June 30, 1004, upon the 
authority of the Railroad Commission of Texas. 



RAILROADS 117 

5. Galveston, Houston and Northern Railway. Houston (Magers) 
to Galveston via La Porte. Mileage, 54.20. 

6. Houston and Texas Central Railroad. Houston to Denison via 
Hempstead, Xavasota, Bryan, Hearne, Calvert, Bremond, Ciroes- 
beck, ]\Iexia, Corsicana, Ennis, Dallas, INIcKinney, and Sherman ; 
Hempstead to Llano via Brenham, Giddings, Elgin, Austin, and 
Burnet; Bremond to Ross via Waco; Garrett to Fort AVorth via 
Waxahachie ; Fairland to ^larble Falls ; Burnet to Lampasas. 
Mileage, 090.03. 

7. Houston, East and AVest Texas Railway. Houston to Texas- 
Louisiana line at Logansport via Livingston, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, 
and Timpson. Mileage, 190.94. 

Gould System. 1. Texas and Pacific Railway. State line, Har- 
rison county, near Waskom, to Fort AVorth via Marshall, Longview, 
Alineola, Terrell, and Dallas ; Texarkana to Fort Worth via Clarksville, 
Paris, Honey Grove, Bonham, Sherman, and AVhitesboro ; Texarkana 
to Marshall via Atlanta and Jefferson ; Fort Worth to Sierra Blanca, 
El Paso county, via AVeatherford, Cisco, Abilene, and Colorado. 
This road enters El Paso over the track of the Galveston, Harris- 
burg and San Antonio Railway, 1038.16 miles; Denison and Pacific 
Suburban Railway, 7.63 miles; AVeatherford, Mineral AA'ells and 
Northwestern Railway, 23 miles. Total mileage, 1068.79. 

2. International and Great Northern Railroad, Longview Junc- 
tion to Laredo via Palestine, Hearne, Rockdale, Taylor, Austin, and 
San Antonio ; Palestine to Houston via Crockett and Conroe ; Troup 
to ]Mineola via Tyler; Overton to Henderson ; Phelps to Huntsville ; 
Round Rock to Georgetown; Houston to Columbia; Spring to Fort 
Worth (Houston and Fort AA^orth Line) via Navasota, Bryan, 
Alarlin, and AVaco ; A^alley to Calvert. :Mileage, 1081.10. 

3. Saint Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas. Texarkana to 
Gatesville via Mount Pleasant, Pittsburg, Gilmer, Tyler, Athens, 
Corsicana, Hubbard City, and AA^aco ; Mount Pleasant to Sherman 
via Sulphur Springs, Commerce, AVolfe City and AA^hitewTight ; Com- 
merce to Fort Worth via Greenville, AVylie, and Piano; Corsicana 
to Hillsboro ; Tyler to Angelina river via Jacksonville and Lufkin ; 
Noel to Dallas. Total mileage, 678.93. 

4. Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad. Houston to 
(jalveston. Total mileage, 46.06. 



118 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Santa Fe System. 1. Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway. 
Galveston to Red river (Cooke county) via Alvin, Rosenberg, Sealy, 
Bellville, Brenham, Somerville, Caldwell, Cameron, Rogers, Temple, 
Moody, McGregor, Clifton, Cleburne, Fort Worth, Sanger, and 
Gainesville ; Cleburne to Paris via Alvarado, Dallas, Farmersville ; 
Wolfe City and Ladonia ; Somerville to Silsbee via Navasota, Con- 
roe, and Cleveland ; Temple to San Angelo via Belton, Lampasas, 
Goldthwaite, Brownwood, Coleman Junction, and Ballinger ; Cole- 
man Junction to Coleman ; Alvin to Houston ; Cleburne to Weather- 
ford ; Ladonia to Honey Grove ; Bragg to Saratoga. Mileage, 
1050.39. 

2. Southern Kansas Railway of Texas. Texas-Oklahoma line 
near Higgins, Lipscomb county, to Washburn. Mileage, 115.13. 

3. Pecos and Northern Texas Railway. Amarillo to Texas-New 
Mexico line at Texico. Mileage, 94.50. 

4. Pecos River Railroad. Pecos to State Line in Reeves county. 
Mileage, 54.27. 

5. Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City Railway. Beaumont to 
Rogan. Mileage, 62.63. 

6. Gulf, Beaumont and Great Northern Railway. Rogan to 
Center. Mileage, 77.06. 

7. Cane Belt Railroad. Sealy to Matagorda. Lakeside through 
Donovant Plantation ; Lane City to Garwood. Mileage, 102.04. 

"Katy" (Missouri, Kansas, and Texas) System. 1. Missouri, 
Kansas and Texas Railway of Texas. Red river to Denison ; 
Denison to Whitesboro ; Fort Worth to Houston via Alvarado, 
Hillsboro, Waco, Temple, Taylor, Elgin, Bastrop, Smithville, La 
Grange, and Sealy; Denison to Mineola via White wright and 
Greenville; Greenville to Hillsboro via Rockwall, Dallas, and 
Waxahachie ; Denton to Dallas ; Whitesboro to Henrietta via 
Gainesville ; Denison to Sherman ; Trinity to Colmesneil via Grove- 
ton ; Echo to Belton; Smithville to San Antonio via Lockhart, San 
Marcos, and New Braunfels ; McKinney to Texas-Louisiana line 
near Waskom via Farmersville, Greenville, Sulphur Springs, Pitts- 
burg, and Jefferson ; Granger to Austin via Georgetown. Mileage, 
1121.82. 

2. Denison, Bonham and New Orleans Railroad. Bonham Junc- 
tion to Bonham. Mileage, 24.17. 



RAILROADS 119 

3. Dallas, Cleburne and Southwestern Railway. Egan to Cleburne. 
Mileage, 9.82. 

4. Wichita Falls Railway. Henrietta to Wichita Falls. Mileage, 
17.96. 

Denver System. 1. Fort Worth and Denver City Railway. Fort 
Worth to Texline via Decatur, Bowie, Henrietta, Wichita Falls, 
Vernon, Quanah,Clarendon, Amarillo, and Dalhart. Mileage, 453.57. 

2. Wichita Valley Railway. Wichita Falls to Seymour. Mile- 
age, 51. 

3. Wichita Falls and Oklahoma Railway. Wichita Falls to 
Byers. Mileage, 22. 

Rock Island System. 1. Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway, 
Oklahoma-Texas line via Dalhart to Texas-Xew Mexico line ; 
Amarillo east to Texas-Oklahoma line near Texola ; State line at 
Red river in Montague county to Fort Worth ; Bridgeport to Graham 
via Jacksboro ; Fort Worth to Dallas. Mileage, 384.24. 

" Frisco" System. 1. Saint Louis, San Francisco and Texas Rail- 
way. Red river to Denison and track in Sherman. Mileage, 6.66. 

2. Red River, Texas and Southern Railway. Sherman to Carroll- 
ton; connection (near Fort Worth) between Saint Louis South- 
western and the Fort Worth and Rio Grande. Mileage, 57.54. 

3. Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway. Fort Worth to Brady 
via Granbury, Stephenville, Dublin, Comanche, and Brownwood. 
Mileage, 195.88. 

4. Paris and Great Northern Railroad. Paris to Red river. 
Mileage, 16.94. 

5. Blackwell, Enid and Texas Railway. Vernon to the Red 
river. Mileage, 12.77. 

6. Oklahoma City and Texas Railroad. Quanah to the Red 
river. Mileage, 8.68. 

93. Other Railroads. 

1. San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway. San Antonio to 
Kerrville via Boerne ; San Antonio to Corpus Christi via Floresville, 
Kenedy, and Beeville ; Gregory to Rockport; Skidmore via Alice to 
Falfurrias; Kenedy to Houston via Cuero, Yoakum, Hallettsville, 
and Eagle Lake ; Yoakum to Waco via Flatonia, Giddings, Rockdale, 
and Cameron; Austin Junction to Lockhart. Mileage, 723.70. 



120 THE (;k()(;hapiiy of tp:xas 

2. Texas Central Railroad. AV^aco to Stamford via Walnut 
Springs, Dublin, Cisco, and Albany. Mileage, 226.27. 

3. Texas Mexican Railwa}-. Corpus Christi to Laredo and Fort 
JNIcIntosh. Mileage, 1(32.24. 

4. Texas ^Midland Railroad. Paris to Commerce ; Greenville to 
Ennis. Mileage, 111.18. 

5. Texarkana and Fort Smith Railway (Port Arthur Route). 
Red river to Texas- Arkansas line near Bloomburg via Texarkana ; 
Sabine river to Port Arthur via Beaumont. ]\Iileage, 81.12. 

6. Texas Southern Railway. East Winnsboro to IVlarshall via 
Gilmer. Mileage, 71.41. 

7. Gulf and Interstate Railway. Beaumont via High Island to 
Bolivar. Mileage, 70.30. 

8. Texas, Sabine Valley and Northwestern Railway. Longview 
to Carthage and Boren. Mileage, 38.80. 

Marshall, Timpson and Sabine Pass Railway. Carthage to Timp. 
son. Mileage, 19.10. 

These properties are operated as one road. 

9. Saint Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railw^ay. Robstown via 
Kingsville to BrownsAille. Mileage, 141.10. 

10. Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway. Cleburne via Hillsboro 
and Hubbard City to Mexia. Mileage, 77.90. 

Total mileage of above railroads, 11,116.90. 

Mileage of minor railroads, 386.05. 

Total mileage in Texas on June 30, 1904, not including electric, 
interurban, and "lumber" roads, 11,502.95. 



CHAPTER XI 
IMPORTANT EVENTS IN TEXAS HISTORY 

94. Early Attempts at Settlement. The earliest settle- 
ment within the present boundaries of Texas was made 
by the Spanish at Ysleta on the Rio Grande in 1(382. 
In 1685 a French expedition under La Salle, search- 
ing for the mouth of the Mississippi, entered ^Matagorda 
bay. Landing here, its commander took possession of 
the country in the name of the king of France and 
established Fort Saint Louis on Lavaca river. A few 
years later the post was destroyed by the Indians. In the 
meantime the Spanish, hearing of the French settlement, 
sent a series of expeditions under Ponce de Leon to dis- 
cover its whereabouts, the thiid of which was successful. 
He found the bleaching bones of some of the colonists. 
The object of a fourth under the same leader was to 
establish a mission among the Tejas Indians. This was 
accomplished in 1690, but the Indians were troublesome, 
and in 1693 the Spanish were forced to give up the mission 
and retreat. 

95. French and Spanish Claims. The Missions. The 
French, however, who were becoming more firmly estab- 
lished on the Mississippi, still claimed the region as far 
west as Matagorda bay by virtue of La Salle's settlement. 
In 1713 they organized an expedition under Saint-Denis 
for the purpose of opening up trade relations with the 
Spanish. That daring young ol^ticer, after numerous 

121 



122 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

delays, finally succeeded in crossing the " vast wilderness " 
of Texas and presented his passport at the presidio of 
Captain Diego Ramon beyond the Rio Grande. His pres- 
ence here was sufficient to arouse the Spanish to the 
necessity of holding the country. They accordingly organ- 
ized a counter expedition, composed of priests and soldiers, 
for the purpose of establishing missions and Christianizing 
the Indians. In this expedition, strange as it may seem, 
Saint-Denis (1715) accepted the position of chief guide. 
The missions were successfully established, and thus the 
Spanish secured title to Texas. In 1721 Sieur de Bien- 
ville, the commandant of Louisiana, fitted out an expedi- 
tion to make good the claim of France. It reached Fort 
Saint Louis, but on account of the hostility of the Indians 
soon returned to New Orleans. The rivalry of the French 
and the Spanish and the incursions of the Indians hindered 
both the settlement of the country and its civilization. 
Though the settlers and garrison at San Antonio had 
defeated their Indian enemies in a desperate battle (1732), 
it was still dangerous to venture far from the post, and 
twenty-five years later the inmates of the San Saba 
Mission were massacred to a man. In 1762 King Louis 
XV of France transferred to the king of Spain all of 
Louisiana west of the Mississippi. This settled for a time 
the dispute over the Texas-Louisiana boundary, which had 
been the cause of much bitterness between the Spanish 
and the French. In 1794 the missions were secularized. 
Though the pomp and ceremony of the church had disap- 
peared, they were still to serve as strongholds in the later 
struggles. 

96. Spanish Rule and the Anglo-American. In 1800 
Spain returned Louisiana to France. Now transpired an 



IMPORTANT EVENTS IN TEXAS HISTORY 123 

event of the greatest importance — the coming of the 
Anglo-American, a few adventurous spirits at first and 
then a body of actual settlers who were destined soon to 
possess themselves not only of the land but of the govern- 
ment as well. This year Philip Nolan, having obtained 
permission of De Nava, the Spanish commandant of Texas, 
entered the province for the purpose of capturing wild 
horses. Suspected of harboring some other design, orders 
were sent for his arrest. These the Spanish captain at 
Nacogdoches attempted to enforce, and in the attack Nolan 
and one of his men were killed. The remainder of his 
party surrendered. 

97. The Louisiana-Texas Boundary. Magee^s Invasion. 
The sale of Louisiana to the United States in 1803 reopened 
the old question concerning the Texas-Louisiana boundary 
and for a time war seemed probable, but it was finally 
agreed that until further arrangements could be made the 
strip of land, about thirty miles wide, between the Sabine 
river and the Arroyo Hondo should be neutral ground, 
that is, should be occupied by neither the Spanish nor the 
Americans. It immediately became the resort of robbers 
and desperadoes. In the meantime the Mexicans them- 
selves were becoming restive under the Spanish rule, 
and although their uprisings were for a time put down, 
they nevertheless afforded the Anglo-American a pretext 
for the invasion of Texas. In 1812 Augustus Magee, 
formerly a lieutenant in the United States army, and 
Colonel Bernardo Gutierrez {goo-te-er' es\ a Spanish refugee 
from Mexico, raised an army in the neutral ground. Their 
object was to assist Mexico in throwing off the Spanish 
yoke. At first they were very successful. Nacogdoches 
and La Bahia (Goliad) were soon in their possession. 



124 THE GEOCJRArilY OF TEXAS 

The Spanisli army sent against them was defeated at 
Rosillo creek, near San Antonio, March 28, 1813, and 
the victors marched to the Alamo (San Antonio). In 
June they defeated another Spanish army, but finally, on 
August 18, they were utterly crushed by the third Spanish 
army (battle of the Medina). 

98. Lafitte. In 1816 Galveston island was for a short 
time the seat of a '' republic " having for its chief business 
privateering. Shortly thereafter, during the absence of 
the " republicans," the island was seized by Jean Lafitte, 
who established there his "kingdom." Not only were 
Spanish ships captured, but slaves were landed and smug- 
gled into Louisiana to be sold. Lafitte finally left the 
island, after destroying his fort, upon the order of the 
United States government. 

99. Long's Invasion. In 1819 the Sabine river was 
fixed by treaty as the boundary between those parts of 
Texas and Louisiana adjacent to the Gulf. This year 
another party of Anglo-Americans, organized at Natchez, 
Mississippi, under James Long, invaded the province for 
the purpose of establishing a republic. Nacogdoches 
became the seat of government and even a newspaper was 
published. The settlers Avere, however, soon scattered by 
tlie Spanish. Again, in 1821, Long, with a few followers, 
attempted to establish himself at Goliad. In this he 
was unsuccessful, being captured and sent to a Mexican 
prison. 

100. Austin's Colony. In January, 1821, Moses Austin 
had been granted permission, through the influence of 
Baron de Bastrop, to establish a colony in Texas, but 
dying in June, the conduct of this enterprise fell to his 
son, Stephen F. Austin. In the meantime (August) the 



LMPORTAXT EVENTS IX TEXAS HISTORY 125 

Mexicans had succeeded in throwing off the Spanish yoke 
and had established an independent government. Austin's 
first colonists reached the Brazos late in the year (Decem- 
ber) and there began their settlement. In 1823 a town 
was built called San Felipe {fd-le'iKiy de Austin, which 
became the capital of Austin's colony. In 1824 Texas 
and Coahuila became a single state of the new Mexican 
republic. Under the grants made by the congress of this 
state immigration continued, thus increasing the Anglo- 
American population. The Mexicans soon began to view 
this movement as a source of danger, never having been 
entirely free from suspicion since the early boundary dis- 
putes. This suspicion was further increased by the knowl- 
edge that the United States desired to purchase Texas. 

101. Mexican Irritation. In 1829 President Guerrero, 
who was then exercising dictatorial power, issued a decree 
abolishing slavery in the Mexican republic, but Texas 
was exempted from its operation. In 1830 Bustamante 
{hoos-ta-mcin'td) became president of the republic. His 
government was unfavorable to Anglo-American immigra- 
tion, forbade further introduction of slaves into Texas, and 
cut off the privilege of importing goods free of duty which 
the colonists had hitherto enjoyed. This the settlers con- 
sidered not only burdensome but unjust. The revolution 
of 1832, headed by Santa Anna, followed. The colonists 
now held two conventions at San Felipe de Austin, one in 
the fall of 1832, the other in the spring of 1833, to dis- 
cuss the situation, and it was finally decided to petition 
the Mexican government for a repeal of the former decrees 
and a separation from Coahuila. The petition was pre- 
sented by Austin. Becoming impatient at the numerous 
1 Pronounced FiVt-p'e in Texas. 



126 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

delays, he wrote to the authorities at San Antonio recom- 
mending the formation of a separate state. In the mean- 
time the petition was passed upon, and, while much 
remained ungranted, Santa Anna promised the repeal of 
the law against colonization. News of Austin's letter, 
however, caused his arrest, and it was not until 1835 that 
he was allowed to return to his settlement. Santa Anna 
had now become dictator and, although hostile bands of 
Indians still roamed over the country, his congress ordered 
the disarming of the Texans. General Cos was sent to 
enforce this decree. This spark fired the revolution 
which set Texas free. 

102. The Texas Revolution. An attempt on the part of 
the Mexicans to seize a cannon at Gonzales met with 
resistance (October 2, 1835). A few days later Goliad 
was captured by the Texans. On October 10 Austin 
reached Gonzales and was elected commander of the 
rapidly gathering army. General Cos had now reached 
San Antonio. On October 28 occurred the battle of Con- 
cepcion (cdn-sep-si-dn')^ in which the Texans were vic- 
torious (see San Antonio). Though they were still loyal to 
the Mexican constitution of 1824, a general consultation of 
the Texans began its session at San Felipe de Austin on 
November 3 and a provisional government was formed. 
Austin having been appointed one of the commissioners 
to the United States, the command of the army now 
fell upon General Edward Burleson. On December 9 
following General Cos and his army at San Antonio sur- 
rendered. The Texans thus secured a large quantity of 
arms, ammunition, and stores. While the volunteer army 
was besieging San Antonio, Sam Houston, undoubtedly 
the most remarkable character in Texas history, had been 





f" 




127 



128 THE (lEOGRAFIIY OF TEXAS 

appointed commander in chief of the regular army, whose 
organization had been provided for by the provisional 
government. 

103. The Alamo, Goliad, and San Jacinto. The new year, 
1836, had scarcely opened when Santa Anna himself 
invaded Texas at the head of a large body of troops. On 
February 23 he appeared before San Antonio. The small 
garrison under Colonel William B. Travis retired to the 
Alamo and there prepared for defense. A summons to 
surrender was declined. On March 6 the Mexicans made 
their final assault, and the entire garrison was annihi- 
lated, fighting to the last man (see San Antonio). Colo- 
nel Fannin, in attempting to retreat from Goliad, was 
overtaken by the Mexicans and forced to surrender. Taken 
back to Goliad, his entire command was shot down in cold 
blood — an act unparalleled in history. This was Palm 
Sunday, 1836. The Mexican army now pushed on, and 
General Houston, who had taken command of the Texans 
at Gonzales, upon hearing of the defeat at the Alamo, 
began a hasty retreat which continued about six weeks. 
Finally, at San Jacinto, April 21, one division of the Mex- 
ican army was completely overwhelmed by Houston, and 
Santa Anna himself made prisoner. 

104. The Republic of Texas. Already, on March 2, at 
Washington, the people of Texas had declared that all 
political connection with Mexico was forever ended and 
that they now constituted ^free^ sovereign^ and independent 
republic, and two weeks later David G. Burnet had been 
elected president of the provisional government (March 
16-17). On September 1, at a general election, Sam 
Houston was chosen president. He was inaugurated at 
Columbia on October 22, and Stephen F. Austin became 



IMPORTANT EVENTS IX TEXAS HISTORY 129 

secretary of state. The following year the republic was 
recognized by the United States, and soon after by other 
nations. 

105. The State of Texas. Still the Anglo-American 
colonists came, and in 1845 Texas was admitted to the 
United States by annexation. This aroused great indig- 
nation in Mexico and was the cause of a war between that 
country and the United States in which the latter was vic- 
torious. Not only was the Rio Grande established as the 
boundary between Texas and Mexico, but the United 
States secured a vast tract of land between Texas and the 
Pacific coast, including California. Texas grew rapidly 
in population and wealth until the outbreak of the Civil 
War. In 1861 the state withdrew from the Union and 
joined the Confederacy. The years following were years 
of hardship and sorrow. The end of the struggle found 
the people impoverished and disheartened. Texas was 
readmitted to the Union in 1870, and since 1874 has 
advanced with enormous strides. Wealth and prosperity 
have thrown their mantles about her, the population has 
increased with wonderful rapidity, thousands of miles of 
railroads have been built, and large cities and thriving 
towns have sprung up. Where the lonely and widely 
separated missions once held sway, the Anglo-American 
has developed a great and prosperous country. The Span- 
ish civilization, such as it was, has passed away and the 
Indian is no more ; a better civilization has replaced the 
old, and a stronger race has made the land its own. 



CHAPTER XII 
THE GOVERNMENT 

The government of the state of Texas, like that of the 
other states, is divided into three distinct departments, — 
the legislative^ the executive, and the judicial. 

106. The Legislative Department. The legislative depart- 
ment consists of a senate (upper house) and a house of 
representatives (lower house), which together are styled 
" The Legislature of the State of Texas." The legislature 
is the lawmaking power. 

The senate is limited to thirty-one members, one half of 
whom (fifteen or sixteen, as the case may be) are elected 
every two years for a term of four years, with the excep- 
tion that, following a reapportionment, a new senate is 
elected and the members draw by lot for the long and 
short terms (two and four years), after which, until the 
next reapportionment, they are elected one half biennially 
as above stated. 

The members of the house of representatives are elected 
biennially for two years. There cannot be more than one 
representative for every fifteen thousand inhabitants, and 
the total membership of the house cannot exceed one hun- 
dred and fifty. The present number (apportionment of 
1901) is one hundred and thirty-three. 

The lieutenant governor is ex officio president of the 
senate, which elects from among its members a presi- 
dent pro tempore who shall preside in the absence of the 

130 



THE GOVERNMENT 131 

lieutenant governor. The presiding officer of the house 
is the speaker, who is elected by that body from its own 
membershi^^. 

The legislature meets every two years at such time as 
may be provided by law (second Tuesday in January), and 
at other times when convened by the governor. 

107. The Executive Department. The executive depart- 
ment consists of a governor, who is the chief executive 
officer of the state, a lieutenant governor, a secretary of 
state, a comptroller of public accounts, a treasurer, a 
commissioner of the general land office, and an attorney- 
general, — officers provided for by the constitution. They 
are elected for a term of two years, with the exception of 
the secretary of state, who is appointed by the governor. 
In addition to the above, a state superintendent of public 
instruction, elected for a term of two years, a commis- 
sioner of agriculture, insurance, statistics and history, 
appointed for the same term by the governor, and three 
railroad commissioners, one of whom is elected every 
two years for a term of six years, are provided for by 
statute, as are also the state health officer, the state 
revenue agent, and the various administrative boards. 

108. The Judicial Department. The judicial department 
consists of the following courts : (1) The supreme court, 
with three judges, one of whom is elected every two years 
for a term of six years. (2) The court of criminal appeals, 
with three judges elected in the same manner. This court 
holds three terms during the year, — one at Tyler, one at 
Dallas, and one at Austin. (3) The courts of civil appeals, 
five in number. Each of these courts has three judges who 
are elected as in the preceding cases. (4) District courts, 
of which there are sixty-three in the state. A district judge 



132 THE GEOGllArilY OF TEXAS 

is elected for the term of four years. (5) County courts 
(one in each organized county), whose presiding officers, 
county judges, are elected for the term of two years. 
(6) Commissioners' courts (one in each organized county), 
whose presiding officers are the county judges. The other 
members of these courts are four commissioners elected for 
the term of two years. (7) Justices' courts, of wliich there 
is one in each of the precincts (not less than four nor more 
than eight) into which the county is divided. The presiding 
officers are justices of the peace. They are elected biennially 
and hold their office two years. 

Vacancies in the offices of judges of the supreme court, 
the court of criminal appeals, the court of civil appeals, 
and the district courts are filled by appointments made by 
the governor until the next general election ; vacancies in 
the office of county judges and justices of the peace are filled 
by appointments made by the commissioners' court until 
the next general election for such offices. (See the Con- 
stitution of the State of Texas.) 

Reference : The Government of the People of the State of 
Texas, by George Pierce Garrison. Philadelphia: Eldredge 
iind Brother, 190.0. 

109. Presidents of the Republic of Texas. 

David G. Burnet, president ad interim, March 16 or 17,^ 
1836-October 22, 1836. 

Sam Houston, October 22, 1836-December 10, 1838. 
Mirabeau B. Lamar, December 10, 1838-December 13, 1841. 
Sam Houston, December 13, 1841-December 9, 1844.^ 
Anson Jones, December 9, 1844-Pebruary 16, 1846. 

1 Existing records are not clear as to this date. 

2 General Houston afterwards represented Texas in the United States 
Senate, and later was elected governor of the state. 



THE GUVEIINMENT 



133 



110. Governors of the State of Texas. 



J. Pinckney Henderson 
George T. Wood . 
P. Hansborough Bell 
Elisha M. Pease . 
Hardin R. Eunnels 
Sam Houston . . 
Edward Clark . . 
Frank R. Lubbock 
Pendleton Murrah . 
A. J. Hamilton . . 
James W. Throckmortou 
Elisha M. Pease 
Edmund J. Davis . 
Richard Coke . . 
Richard B. Hubbard 
Gran M. Roberts . 
John Ireland . . 
Lawrence S. Ross . 
James S. Hogg . . 
Charles A. Culberson 
Joseph D. Sayers . 
S. W. T. Lanham . 



1846-1847 

1847-1849 

1849-1853 

1853-1857 

1857-1859 

1859-1861 

1861 (March to November) 

1861-1863 

1863-1865 

1865-1866 (appointed) 

1866-1867 

1867-1869 (appointed) 

1870-1874 

1874-1876 

1876-1879 

1879-1883 

1883-1887 

1887-1891 

1891-1895 

1895-1899 

1899-1903 

1903- 



CHAPTER XIII 
EDUCATION 

111. The Public Schools. The public schools of Texas 
have, during the last ten years, made great progress, due 
largely to the influence of Sam Houston Normal Institute 
and The University of Texas in furnishing trained and 
competent teachers. The cities and larger towns have all 
organized graded schools, and there are now (1905) within 
the state over one hundred public high schools affiliated 
with the university — schools which fulfill the entrance 
requirements in certain specified branches, such as English, 
history, mathematics, ancient and modern languages, etc. 

112. The Permanent School Fund. The permanent school 
fund for the year ending August 31, 1904, was as follows : ^ 

Cash $158,851.06 

Bonds, state . 2,231,500.00 

Bonds, county 7,311,519.00 

Bonds, city and independent school district 868,887.55 

Bonds, railroad 1,603,317.00 

Land notes 20,104,840.05 

$32,278,914.66 



113. The Perpetual School Fund. According to the con- 
stitution, all funds, lands, and other property set apart 
for the support of the public schools shall constitute a 

1 Compiled from the Report of the State Treasurer. 
134 



EDUCATION 135 

perpetual school fund. For the year ending August 31, 
1904, the condition of this fund may be stated as follows: 

Permanent school fund $32,278,914.66 

8,889,482 acres of land at $1 per acre 8,889,482.00 

$41,168,396.66 

114. The Available School Fund. This fund consists 
of the income of the permanent school fund (interest 
on bonds and land notes), one fourth of all occupation 
taxes, a one-dollar poll tax, and a state tax of eigh- 
teen cents on the liundred dollars. The available school 
fund for the year ending August 31, 1904, amounted to 
13,855,225.40. 

Cities and towns may have control of the public schools 
within their limits and may levy a special tax, not exceed- 
ing one half of one per cent, for their additional support. 
In consequence of this provision of the law, for the year 
mentioned, 11,324,793.09 was realized from local taxation. 
These funds were also supplemented by the tuition 
received from pupils under and over the lawful school 
age, which amounted to i6 8,204.45. 

115. Sam Houston Normal Institute. This school for the 
training of teachers was established at Huntsville in 1879 
largely through the efforts of Dr. Barnas Sears, at that 
time the agent of the Peabody Educational Fund. In this 
work lie was warmly supported by Governor O. M. Roberts 
and Dr. R. C. Burleson. The institute stands as a memo- 
rial to General Sam Houston. It is well equipped with 
buildings and apparatus, and has been the recipient of aid 
from the Peabody Fund and of legislative appropriation. 
It has furnished the state with a large number of teachers 
and has done much to advance the cause of education. 





-■«• '■• ^■?i'.— •* ^ '• ,|-^--^' 



Fig. 82. 8am Houston Normal Institute, Main Building, 
huntsville 







^■j^B 


i^ 


*^ta 


^^^H 




■rl 


j. 11 fr r^J 


1 


Hb 


*■ • " ^•^^^^■m^^^^^^^^™ 



Fig. 83. Sam Houston Normal Institute, Peabodv Lujrarv 
Building 

13C 



EDUCATIOX ' 137 

During the first twenty years of its existence the names of 
nearly five thousand different pupils were borne on its rolls. 
116. North Texas State Normal College. The second 
normal school in the state was established at Denton 
under an act of the twenty-sixth legislature approved 
March 31, 1899. It opened its doors to students on 
September 18, 1901, and has already a large attendance. 




Fig. 84. North Texas State Normal College, Dextox 

One building and the grounds were the gift of the people 
of Denton. 

117. Southwest Texas Normal School. The third normal 
school in the state was created by an act of the twenty- 
sixth Legislature approved May 10, 1899. It is located 
at San Marcos, a thriving town on the International and 
Great Northern and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas rail- 
roads, thirty-one miles southwest of Austin. The citizens 
of the town donated a commanding site " containing about 
eleven acres, and known as Chautauqua Hill," upon which 
a suitable building has been erected at a cost of $^25,000 
(act of the twenty-seventh legislature approved March 28, 
1901). The first annual session opened September 9, 1903. 



138 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



118. Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College. 

This institution, located near Hempstead in Waller county, 
has for its mam object the education of colored teachers. 
It was established in 1876 by an act of the fifteenth 
legislature and is under the management of the board 
of directors of the Agricultural and INIechanical College. 







Fig. 85. SouxinvEsx Texas State Normal School, Sax ]\Iarco.s 

119. The College of Industrial Arts for Young Women ^ 

was established by an act of the twenty-seventh legisla- 
ture. The commission appointed to locate the institution 
selected a tract of seventy acres in the northeast part of 
Denton, which was donated by the citizens of that town 
together with 816,050. The central portion of an excel- 
lent building has been erected, in which the school was 
opened September 23, 1903. " An artesian well six Imn- 
dred feet deep, just in the rear of the building, gives a 

1 Formerly the Girls Industrial College. 



EDUCATION 



139 



bounteous supply of the purest water." By legislative 
enactment, the Board of Regents are given the necessary 
powers to establish and maintain a first-class industrial 
institute and college for the education of white girls in this 
state in the arts and sciences. The general object of this 
institution is to fit and prepare such girls for » the practical 
industries of the age." 

120. The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. 
The Agricultural and Mechanical College owes its origin 




Fig. 80. College of Industrial Arts, Dexton 

to an act of Congress approved July 2, 1862, providing 
that there should be granted to the several states "an 
amount of pul)lic land equal to 30,000 acres for each 
Senator and Representative in Congress to which the 
states are respectively entitled by the apportionment 
under the Census of 18(30." It especially provides that 
the proceeds of the sale of this land shall constitute a per- 
petual fund, the interest of which shall be used for the 
endowment, support, and maintenance of a college where 




s?;^%^ 



140 



EDUCATION 



141 



the leading studies, including military tactics, shall be those 
related to agriculture and the mechanic arts. November 1, 
1871, the legislature of Texas accepted the trust and 
received from the government 180,000 acres of land, \yhich 
was sold for |174,000. The interest at the time of the 
.opening of the college, October 4, 1876, amounted to 
136,000 additional. The institution is located on a tract 




Fm. 88. AdKIcrLTFRAL BiILDIXO, xVonKlLTrUAL AND 

M E ( H A N I c A I- College 



of 2416 acres of land, donated by Brazos county, at College 
Station, on the Houston and Texas Central and Interna- 
tional and great Northern railroads, five miles south of 
Bryan. The succeeding legislatures since its establishment 
have made liberal appropriations, and it is now excellently 
equipped with buildings and apparatus adapted to its spe- 
cial work. Although under a separate management, it is, 
by the constitution, a branch of The University of Texas. 




142 



EDUCATION 



143 



121. The University of Texas. "The idea of a univer- 
sity for Texas is as old as Texas." In January, 1839, the 
Congress of tlie Republic gave fifty leagues of public land 
for its support and set apart the ground for its campus in 
Austin. The state legislature in 1858 added *100,000 
in United States bonds and one section of land out of 
every ten reserved for the use of the state. During the 




fe fw^^ : I 



3 



Fig. 90. The University of Texas, Medical Department, 
Galveston 



Civil War much of the university endowment was turned 
into the general revenue and used to meet the neces- 
sities of the state. The amounts then taken have since, 
in part, been refunded. The legislature in 1881, under 
the authority of the Constitution of 1876, provided for 
its organization and maintenance and created a Board of 
Regents to which was intrusted its management. By a 



144 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

23opular vote, in September, 1881, the Main University, 
consisting of the departments of Literature, Science and 
Arts, and of Law, to which the departments of Engineer- 
ing and Education have since been added, was located at 
Austin and the Medical Department at Galveston. The 
Main University was formally opened for the reception of 
students in September, 1883 ; the Medical Department in 
October, 1891. 

122. The University Endowment. The Constitution of 
1876 took away the lands previously granted, except the 
fifty leagues given in 1839, and substituted for them 
1,000,000 acres farther west. The legislature in 1883 
set apart an additional 1,000,000 acres. Most of these 
lands are leased. The permanent fund, including bonds, 
land-notes and land, amounts to $2, 315, 768. 67.^ The avail- 
able fund (receipts from leases, interest, fees, etc.) for the 
year ending August 31, 1904, was fl 17,351.76. Like other 
state institutions, the university is also the recipient of 
legislative grants. Its buildings and equipment are among 
the best in the South, and its high standing is everywhere 
recognized. 

123. Denominational Colleges. Here as elsewhere in this 
country, the church has taken an active part in the educa- 
tional development of the state. For many years the 
colleges established by the different religious bodies were 
the only representatives of the higher education. Some of 
these institutions began in the days of the republic ; others 
are of a later growth ; yet all have been established with 
a view to the general welfare of the state, — the training 
of intelligent, honest, and patriotic citizens. While some 
of the early institutions have ceased to exist and others 

1 From Report of State Treasurer for the year ending August 31, 
1904, p. 28. 



EDUCATION 1^0 

have been consolidated, the denominational colleges are 
to-day better equipped and stronger than ever before. 

Baylor University (Baptist), the pioneer Texas college, 
was chartered by the republic on February 13, 1845. It was 
first located at Independence, Washington county. In 1886 
it Avas consolidated with Waco University (chartered in 
1861) and removed to its present location at Waco. 

Baylor Female College (Baptist) was also chartered in 
1815. In 1885 it was removed from Independence to 
Belton. 

Austin College (Presbyterian) was chartered April 5, 
1850. It was first located at Huntsville and later 
removed to Sherman. 

Southwestern University (Methodist) was opened at 
Georgetown on October 6, 1873. It is the successor of 
several of the early institutions, — Rutersville, McKenzie, 
Wesleyan, and Soule colleges. 

Of the other colleges of the state, mention should be 
made of the following : the Texas Christian University, 
formerly Add-Ran University (Christian), Waco ; Fort 
Worth University (Methodist), Fort Worth; Carr-Bur- 
dette Christian College (Christian), Sherman ; Trinity Uni- 
versity (Cumberland Presbyterian), Waxahachie ; Coronal 
Institute (Methodist), San Marcos; Saint Edward's Col- 
lege (founded and conducted by members of the Congrega- 
tion of the Holy Cross, Roman Catholic), Austin ; Daniel 
Baker College (Presbyterian), Brownwood ; Howard Payne 
College (Baptist), Brownwood ; Simmons College (Baptist), 
Abilene; Blinn Memorial College (German Methodist), 
Brenham. 

124. Libraries. Among the institutions of an educa- 
tional value not directly connected with a teaching or 




Fu 



1*1. A Pai{Tial \"ii:\v of tiii: Stat:: Institutkjx loii the 
Blind, Austin 



#«■■■■ »>fl 






j^ ■ ■ mmif 



r^ 



i'lc U2. DtAi- AM> Dlmii Asvi-i -m (Texa.s School fok the Deaf), 

Austin 



146 



EDUCATION 



147 



professional body, the public libraiy plays an important 
part. Through the munificence of Andrew Carnegie, who, 
upon the fulfillment of certain conditions, donated the 
necessary buildings, public libraries have been established 



r 


m 


J 


i 


i 





Fig. 03. State Insane Asylum, Austin 

in the following places: Belton, Brownwood, Bryan, Clarks- 
ville, Cleburne, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Greenville, 
Houston, Pittsburg, San Antonio, Santa Anna, Temple, 




Fig. 94. Southwestern Insane Asvlum, San Antonio 



Terrell, Tyler, and Waco. There are also public libraries 
at Galveston and Waxahachie. 

The State Library and the Library of the Supreme 
Court are provided with quarters in the State Capitol at 



148 THE GEOGlUrilY OF TEXAS 

Austin. The library of The University of Texas, which is 
the largest and most complete in the state, is also located 
in Austin. 

125. Eleemosynary Institutions. The eleemosynary insti- 
tutions of the state include both schools and hospitals. The 
Institution for the Blind, the Deaf and Dumb Asylum 
(Texas School for the Deaf), and the Institute for the 
Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Colored Youths are located at 
Austin. The State Orphan Home is at Corsicana. All 
of these institutions are educational, wholly or in part. 
The following are hospitals: the State Insane Asylum at 
Austin, the North Texas Hospital for the Insane at Terrell, 
the Southwestern Insane Asylum at San Antonio, the 
Epileptic Colony at Abilene. The Confederate Home at 
Austin is both a home and a hospital for needy ex-Confed- 
erate soldiers. 

126. Penal Institutions. There are three penal institu- 
tions in the state : the house of correction and reformatory 
at Gatesville, the penitentiary at Huntsville, and the peni- 
tentiary at Rusk. At the last named the manufacture of 
iron water pipe is an industry of some importance. On 
July 1, 1904, the prison population amounted to 4036. 



CHAPTER XIV 



POPULATION 



127. Population. The population of Texas according to 
the Eleventh Census was 2,235,527. In 1900, according 
to the Twelfth Census, it had reached 3,048,710, an 
increase of 813,183, or 36.4 per cent, in ten years. 

If the states be arranged in the order of their popula- 
tions, it will be seen that Texas now occupies the sixth 
place; that in 1890 it occupied the seventh place; in 
1880, the eleventh; in 1870, the nineteenth; in 1860, the 
twenty-third; and in 1850, the twenty-fifth. 




Fig. 95. Diagrammatic Illustratiox of the Increase of 
Population in the State, 1850-1900 

The increase in population during each successive decade 
is shown by the comparison of the lengths of the black 
horizontal lines in the preceding diagram, the vertical divi- 
sions of which represent hundreds of thousands. 

149 



150 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



128. Elements of Population. 

lation in the state are three, 
colored, and the foreign white, 
is as follows: 



The elements of popu- 
— the native white, the 
Their numerical strength 



Native white 2,249,088 

Colored (including Negroes, Chinese, 

Japanese, and Indians) . . . 622,041 

Foreign white 177,581 

Total .... 3,048,710 

129. Native White Population. Of the native white 
population (amounting to 2,249,088), 1,514,262 were born 
in Texas. The remainder, 734,826, are, of course, natives 
of other states and territories. The twelve states making 
the largest contributions are : 



Tennessee . . 


. 121,573 


Kentucky . . . 


. 43,995 


Alabama . . . 


. 111,298 


Louisiana . . . 


. 33,565 


Mississippi . . 


. 80,021 


Illinois .... 


. 24,995 


Arkansas . . . 


. 69,068 


North Carolina . 


. 17,037 


Georgia . . . 


. 66,213 


South Carolina . 


. 15,097 


Missouri . . . 


. 49,134 


Virginia. . . . 


. 14,673 



Ohio and Indiana together furnished 21,764 ; New York, 
Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, 15,332; and Kansas, 
Nebraska, and Iowa, 14,416. 

130. Colored Population. The colored population of the 
state is as follows : 

Negroes 620,722 

Chinese 836 

Indians 470 

Japanese 13 

622,041 



roruLATiox 



151 



The negro population constitutes 20.4 per cent of the 
total population of the state. Its distribution by counties 
is indicated on the accompanying map. Those areas hav- 
ing a negro population of over 5000 per county are set off 




Fig. 96. Map of Texas showing the Distribution of the Negro 
PopiLATiON BV Counties 



by a heavy toothed line. Practically speaking, the negro 
is confined to the eastern or agricultural portion of the state. 
The following six counties have the largest negro popula- 
tions. For the purpose of comparison the white population 
is also given. 



152 



TllK GEOGRArilY OF TEXAS 



Xeokoes Whites 

Harrison 21,697 10,174 

Harris 19,894 43,846 

liobertson 10,747 14,707 

Smith 16,043 21,318 

Washington 16,039 16,888 

McLennan 14,405 45,345 

The representation of the remaining colored races is too 
small to be of any special significance at this time. 




Fig. 97. Map of Texas showing the Distrtrution of the Mexican 

Poi'lLATIOX I5V CorXTIES 



rOPULATIOX 



153 



131. Foreign-Born Population. The foreign-born popula- 
tion is 179,357. Its chief representatives are as follows: 



Mexicans . 
Germans 
Bohemians . 
English . . 



71,062 

48,295 

9,204 

8.213 



Austrians .... G,870 

Irish 6,173 

Swedes 4,388 

Italians 3,942 



The Mexican population occupies for the most part the 
region along the Rio Grande, together with that portion 




Fig. 98. Map of Texas showinCx tub Distribution of the German 

POPLLATION BY COUNTIES 



154 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

of the state lying between the Gulf and a line drawn 
due east from the Great Bend of the Rio Grande to the 
Colorado river. The five counties having the largest 
population of this nationality are: 

Webb 10,755 Bexar 4,752 

El Paso 8,368 Starr 4,262 

Cameron .... 4,906 

The German population early established itself in soutli 
central and southwest Texas, and to-day the larger part of 
the citizens of German birth are found within that area. 
The five counties having the largest German population are : 

Bexar 3958 Harris 2572 

Washington .... 3281 Galveston .... 2450 ^ 
Payette 3055 

The Bohemian population is found for the most part in 
the south central portion of the state, where it has estab- 
lished itself in the drainage basins of the Brazos and Colo- 
rado rivers, beginning with the third tier of counties from 
the coast. The four counties having the largest Bohemian 
population are : 

Fayette 2203 Austin 877 

Lavaca 1835 Burleson 594 

The Swedish population is largely confined to five 
counties : 

Travis 1259 Wharton 306 

Williamson .... 779 Harris 205 

Galveston .... 394 

1 The figures here given do not represent the entire number of the 
German-speaking people. In addition to the native Germans there are 
numerous descendants of the colonists who settled at New Brauufels, 
Fredericksburg, and elsewhere. 



POPULATION 155 

The English and Irish do not show a tendency to seg- 
regate or form communities by themselves, but, on the 
contrary, are widely distributed throughout the general 
population of the state. As may be expected they are 
most numerous in the larger cities, as is shown by the 
following table : 

English Irish 

Galveston count}^ 873 814 

Galveston 77G 703 



537 



Bexar county 822 

San Antonio 723 473 

Harris county G48 537 

Houston 54G 485 

Dallas county 512 458 

Dallas 381 3G5 

Tarrant county ....... 297 350 

Fort Worth 225 274 

The counties having the largest Italian populations are: 

Galveston 560 Harris 392 

Brazos 553 Bexar ...... 31G 

Erath 429 




150 



CHAPTER XV 

THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 

132. (1) San Antonio (53,321),Uhe county seat of Bexar 
(Bail) county and widely known as the '^ Cradle of Texas 
J liberty," is situated in the southwestern part of the state, 
on the San Antonio river. Founded by the Spanish in 
1718, it still retains a distinctive Spanish cast. It is, 
however, in every respect a modern city: its buildings, 
both public and private, are attractive ; its streets and 
5 10 5 20 25 50 55 40 45 50 55 



1870 

1880 



1890 



1900 



^^Miiiiiiii 



Fig. 100. Diagrammatic Illi stratiox of the Ixcrease of 
PopuLATiox IN San Antonio, 1870-1900 

parks well kept; its transportation facilities excellent; 
and its business facilities commanding. 

The increase of population in San Antonio by decades 
from 1870 to 1900 is illustrated by a comparison of the 
lengths of the black horizontal lines in the accompanying 
diao-ram, the vertical divisions of which represent thousands. 

1 The number preceding each city or town indicates its rank ; the 
number following, its population according to the Twelfth Census, unless 
otherwise stated. 

157 



158 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



To this enumeration there should be added a floating 
population, now numbering several thousand, consisting 
of tourists and other visitors who temporarily reside in 
the city for health or pleasure. 

The comparative numerical strength of the chief ele- 
ments of the foreign population (9348) is indicated by the 



Fk 



10 



20 



25 



30 



35 




ENGLISH 



GERMANS 



MEXICANS 



101. Diagrammatic Illustration of the Numerical Strength 
OF the Foreign Population of San Antonio 



lengths of the black horizontal lines in the following dia- 
gram, the vertical divisions of which represent hundreds. 
It will be seen that the Mexicans and Germans are in the 
ascendency, each numbering over three thousand. 

The public buildings of the city represent the expendi- 
ture of over $1,000,000. They include the Courthouse, 
situated on Main Plaza ; the Federal Building, on the north 




Fig. 102. Courthouse and Main Plaza, San Antonio 
Copyright, lOOo and 1904, by Nic. Tengg. Used by permission 




Tig. 103. r::i)i;:;AL Bih.din*;, San Antonio 

Copyright, 1903 and 1904, by Nic. Tengg. Used by permission 

159 



160 Tin: GEOCiRAPIIY OF TEXAS 

side of Alamo Plaza ; the City Hall, in the center of Mili- 
tary Plaza ; and the Market House and Convention Hall, 
on Hay market Plaza. There are, in addition, twenty-one 
public-school buildings valued at ^450, 000. 

Of the four hundred and twenty-five miles of streets 
within the corporate limits, fourteen are paved, seventy- 
one macadamized, and all are kept in an excellent condi- 
tion. The city has also constructed a sewer system, at 
the cost of 1500,000, the length of which in the aggregate 
is seventy-one miles. 

The striking features of San Antonio, however, are its 
parks and plazas, of which there are twenty-one. Much 
of historic interest centers at Alamo Plaza on account of 
the scenes enacted at and about the Alamo, which faces 
this park. Brackenridge Park, comprising two hundred 
acres, with its natural forest growth, and San Pedro Park, 
containing fifty acres, are spots of great natural beauty. 

San Antonio river, rising from a number of springs just 
nortli of the city limits, is a very picturesque stream. So 
tortuous is its course that for thirteen miles it flows witiiin 
the city. Its tributary, San Pedro creek, also meanders 
through the city for its entire length, which is nearly ten 
miles. 

On account of the salubrity of its climate and the excel- 
lence of its water supply, the product of artesian wells, San 
Antonio has become favorably known as a health resort. 

In addition to twenty-nine private schools and colleges, 
which are located here, public schools taught by one hun- 
dred and fifty teachers, and fifty-five churches, represent- 
ing the various religious bodies, are maintained for the 
benefit of the public. Some of the finest church buildings 
face Travis l^ark. 




Fig. 104. City Hall and Military Plaza, Sax Antonio 
Copyright, 1903 and 1904, by Nic. Tengg. Used by permission 




105. ViKW ON West CoAniKiici: Stukkt. Sax Antoxio 



Copyright, 199;) and 1904, by Nic. Tengg. Used by permission 
101 



162 THE GEOGRxVPIIY OF TEXAS 

Fort Sam Houston, on Government Hill, one of the 
largest military posts in the country, is the headquarters 
of the Department of Texas. Its buildings and equipment 
represent an expenditure of nearly -f 1,000,000. 

San Antonio has a large trade with Mexico and with 
southern and western Texas. There are in the city eleven 
large wholesale houses devoted to the needs of an area 
exceeding in size many of the states, while the banking 
interests are represented by five national and six private 
institutions. Its manufacturing enterprises, moreover, 
include two of the largest breweries in the South, also 
several flouring mills, printing houses, binderies, iron 
works, machine shops, cement works, marble works, candy 
factories, paper-box factories, etc. 

The railroad facilities of the city are excellent, lines 
radiating in many directions : the International and Great 
Northern to the northeast and southwest ; the Galveston, 
Harrisburg and San Antonio (more widely known as the 
Southein Pacific or the Sunset Route) to the east and 
west; the Missouri, Kansas and Texas to the northeast; 
the San Antonio and Aransas Pass to the northwest and 
southeast; and the San Antonio and Gulf Railroad to the 
southeast. On the other hand, internal communication is 
maintained by a modern and well-equipped electric street- 
car system having a total length of sixty-one miles. 

The greatest interest centers about the " missions," of 
which there are several. These buildings, both church 
and fortress, played an important part in the early Texas 
struggles. The mission of San Antonio de Valero (da 
va-ld'rd), better known as the Alamo, was the scene of the 
massacre of 1836. Here, before the overwhelming force of 
Santa Anna, fell the little band of Texas patriots fighting 







1(13 



164 THE GEOGRArilY OF TEXAS 

to the last man — Travis and Bowie, Bonham and Crock- 
ett, the bravest of the brave. The Alamo is situated on 
Alamo Plaza and is now the property of the state. 

The mission of La Purissima Concepcion {poo-re' si-ma 
con-sep-se-on')^ or First Mission, on the left bank of the 
San Antonio river, was the scene of the conflict between 
the Texans under Colonel James Bowie and C'aptain J. W. 
Fannin and the Mexican troops in 1835. Before a force 
of ninety-two Texans four hundred Mexicans fled, leaving 
their cannon behind. While but one of the former was 
killed and one wounded, the latter lost sixty killed and 
many wounded. 

The mission of San Jose de Aguayo {san ho-sd' da 
d-gwd'yo)^ or Second Mission, is situated on the right 
bank of the river, four miles below the city. It is espe- 
cially celebrated for the exquisite carvings which orna- 
ment its front. 

Still further below are the remaining missions : that of 
San Juan de Capistrano (san Jiwan da cdp-es-trd'no), or 
Third Mission, on the left bank of the river, six miles from 
the city, and that of San Francisco de la Espada {dd Id 
es-pd'dd)^ or Fourth Mission, on the right bank of the 
river, nine miles from the city. In the square of the last 
mentioned the Texas army gathered prior to the engage- 
ment at Concepcion. 

133. (2) Dallas (including Oak Cliff, 46,268), the county 
seat of Dallas county and the largest city in north Texas, 
is situated on the Trinity river, three hundred and fifteen 
miles northwest by north of Galveston. It lies in the 
most thickly settled portion of tlie state and is widely 
known for the excellence of its public buildings, hotels, 
business blocks, churches, and schools. The new County 




Fio. 107. Dallas County Courtiiolse, Dallas 




Fi.;. 1»)S. Main Siki 
1G5 



, Dallas 




166 



THE PRTXCTPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



167 



Courthouse, the Public Library, the Federal Building, the 
City Hall, the Young Men's Christian Association Build- 
ing, the new City National Bank Building, and the 
Exchange National Bank Building are noteworthy. The 
new Wilson Office Building is the finest in the state. 

The city has waterworks, supplied from the Trinity river, 
artesian wells, a 
sewer system, 
many miles of 
paved streets, 
gas and electiic 
lights. Located 
in the fertile 
black-soil belt, 
which extends 
from Austin to 
the Red river, it 
is the largest dis- 
tributing point 
for agricultural 
machinery in the 
Southwest. It 
has a large whole- 
sale trade and 
a well-deserved 
reputation for 

the manufacture of harness and saddlery; indeed it is 
said that the factories are larger and the general business 
interests greater in this direction than in any other city in 
the United States. 

Of the two hundred and eighty industrial establishments 
in Dallas, mention may be made of the following. Tlie 




Fig. 110. The Wilson Office Building, 
Dallas 



108 I UK (lEOCUIArilY OF TEXAS 

Continental Gin Company and the Murray Company, 
manufacturers of cotton-ginning machinery, are among the 
Lirgest plants of their kind in this country. The works 
of the former cover eight acres and give employment to 
three hundred men ; the works of the latter cover fourteen 
acres and give employment to six hundred men. There 
are ten machine shops, three boiler and tank factories, 
two compresses, two cotton-seed-oil mills, a paper mill, 
three chemical works, two meat-packing establishments, a 
brewery, a cotton mill, brick, lime, and cement works, plan- 
ing mills, flouring mills and elevators, and candy factories. 

Many large commercial and financial institutions have 
their headquarters here. There are four national banks, 
one private bank, and a number of savings and loan com- 
panies. The general offices of the Texas and Pacific Kail- 
way and of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway of 
Texas are also located here. 

The public schools occupy thirteen large buildings repre- 
senting an investment of nearly #500,000. In addition 
there are many private schools, among which are Saint 
Mary's College (Protestant Episcopal) and the Ursuline 
Academy (Roman Catholic) for the education of young 
women. There are also three medical colleges and a large 
sanitarium, Saint Paul's, under the care of the Sisters of 
Saint Vincent de Paul. 

Dallas is also an important railroad center, seven rail- 
roads radiating in twelve directions : the Houston and 
Texas Central to the north and to the south ; the Texas 
and Pacific to the east and to the west ; the Missouri, 
Kansas and Texas to the northeast, south, and northwest ; 
the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe to the northeast and 
southwest; the Saint Louis Southwestern (''Cotton Belt") 




271 a 3 



Fig. 111. Map of the Dallas-Fort Worth Regiox, showing 
THE Various Railroads which converge at Dallas ani> 
Fort Worth 

(Diameter of the circle, 150 miles) 

Missouri, Kansas and Texas. 2. International and Great Northern. 
3. Saint Louis Southwestern. 4. Houston and Texas Central. 5. Saint 
Louis Southwestern. G. Texas and New Orleans. 7. Texas and Pacific. 
8, 9. Lines of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas. 10, 11 . Saint Louis South- 
western and Texas Midland. 12. Saint Louis Southwestern. 13. Gulf, 
Colorado and Santa Fe'. 14. Texas and Pacific. 15. Missouri, Kansas 
and Texas. 16. Missouri, Kansas and Texas; Houston and Texas Cen- 
tral; and Texas and Pacific. 17. Missouri, Kansas and Texas. 18. Gulf, 
Colorado and Santa Fe. 19. Mis.souri, Kansas and Texas. 20. Fort 
Worth and Denver City and ('hica.no, Rock Island and Gulf. 21. Chicaijo, 
Rock Island and Gulf. 22. Weatherford, Mineral Wells and North- 
western. 23. Texas and Pacific. 24. Fort Worth and Rio Grande. 
25. Texas Central. 20. Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe'. 27. Texas Central 

169 



170 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

to the northeast ; the Texas and New Orleans to the south- 
east; and the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf to the west. 
An interurban electric railway connects Dallas with Fort 
Worth, and within the city there are forty-seven miles of 
electric street railroad. 

In 1900 the foreign-born population of the city amounted 
to 3381, one third of whom were Germans. 

134. (3) Houston (44,633), the county seat of Harris 
county, is situated on Buffalo bayou, at the head of steam 
navigation. Although fifty miles northwest of Galveston, 
it has the advantage of direct water communication with 
the Gulf. It is the greatest railroad center in the state. 
Of the fourteen railroads entering the city, two, the Gal- 
veston, Harrisburg and San Antonio and the Texas and 
New Orleans, are links in a transcontinental system, the 
Southern Pacific. Of the other railways, the Houston, East 
and West Texas and the International and Great Northern 
afford communication with the northeast and north ; the 
Houston and Texas Central and the Missouri, Kansas and 
Texas with the west, northwest, and north ; the Gulf, 
Colorado and Santa Fe with the northwest, north, and 
south ; and the San Antonio and Aransas Pass with the 
west and southwest. Besides these there are several lines 
extending to Galveston and the coast country. 

Houston has many modern buildings, and its business 
blocks and stores, especially its wholesale houses, are 
indicative of its commercial importance. Thirty-five miles 
of the principal streets have recently been paved with vit- 
rified brick or asphalt, not to mention the miles of streets 
and roadways that have been macadamized. There have 
also been constructed thirty-five miles of sewers, which add 
much to the comfort and health of the citizens. 




Fig, 112. Map showing Houston as a Railroad Center 

(Diameter of the circle, 100 miles) 

Velasoo, Brazos and Northern. 2. Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe ; Galves- 
ton, Houston and Henderson; and Galveston, Houston and Northern. 
.3. Gulf and Interstate. 4. Texas and New Orleans (Southern Pacitic). 
5. Gulf, Colorado aud Santa Fe'. 6. Houston, East and West Texas. 
7. International and Great Northern. S. Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe'. 
0. International and Great Northern. 10. Houston and Texas Central. 
11. Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe. 12. Missouri, Kansas and Texas. 
1.3. Cane Belt. 14. San Antonio and Aransas Pass. 15. (ialveston, Har- 
rishurjj: and San Antonio (Southern Pacific). 10. New York, Texas and 
Mexican. 17. International and Great Northern 



171 



172 



THE GEOGRAPHY OV TEXAS 



Viewed from an educational standpoint, Houston is 
favored. It has seventeen public school buildings with a 
force of one hundred and seventy-three teachers, a Carnegie 
Library, and many private schools. Of the forty or more 
churches the building of the First Presbyterian congrega- 
tion is the largest. Christ Church, grammar school, and 








n ^ 

11 fci 






^ 







ijiilti-iiillii 




Fio. 118. Business Block ix Houston 



rectory on Texas avenue should be mentioned, and also 
the Church of the Annunciation (Roman Catholic). 

This city is one of the largest cotton markets in the 
world. It is also the seat of the East Texas lumber trade 
and the sugar and rice industries of the state. The last, 
now in its beginning, is rapidly increasing and is pro- 
phetic of great results. The banking facilities are excel- 
lent, there being six national and three private institutions, 
and since the discovery of oil in the Beaumont region all 



THE PRIXCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



173 



forms of business have been greatly stimulated. Among 
the manufacturing establishments located here are the 
shops of three railroads, three cotton compresses, four 
cotton-seed-oil mills, two breweries, a meat-packing house, 
car-wheel works, two rice mills, an oil refinery, a flour mill, 







* *ft.w«s.*..^i ; ^HH 




^l^J Jz^-^^: 




' ' .. "^ ■• . ^ _.-_^..--=. 's-;^.,^^-. 1 



Fig. 114. Housxox High School BriLi>iN< 



an ice factory, lumber mills, and a number of smaller plants. 
The city has waterworks, electric lights and gas, and thirty- 
six miles of electric street railway. Within the last few 
years it has greatly prospered and its growth has been 
very rapid. 

135. (4) Galveston (37,789), the principal seaport of 
Texas, is situated at the northeast extremity of the island 
of the same name, fifty-one miles southeast of Houston. 



174 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

North of the city lies Galveston bay, the entrance to 
which has been greatly improved by the construction of 
jetties. The shifting sands and bars having been removed, 
deep-water ships can now be brought directly to the 
wharfs for loading and unloading. Since the destructive 
storm of September 8, 1900, the shipping facilities along 
the water front have been much increased, and the export 
and import trade is in a better condition than at any pre- 
vious time in the history of the city. Galveston is already 
famous for its immense cotton shipments, amounting in 
1904 to 2,406,031 bales, valued witJi by-products, at 
$121,869,176. Extensive arrangements have been made 
for the shipment and storage of grain, the total elevator 
capacity being at this time 4,000,000 bushels. During 1904 
over 17,000,000 bushels of wheat were handled, represent- 
ing a value of nearly |1 3,500,0 00. In addition to the 
cotton by-products, — such as cotton-seed oil, oil cake and 
meal, — logs, staves, and lumber of various kinds, and live 
stock are exported, the latter chiefly to Cuba. Further- 
more, imported goods are received here not only for the 
cities of the Southwest and Middle West but for Mexico 
as well. That the importance of Galveston as a Gulf port 
may be fully realized, attention is called to the fact that 
86,227 loaded cars were handled in the yards of the Gal- 
veston Wharf Company in 1904. 

Six lines of European steamships have established regu- 
lar sailings from this point, and many others are concerned 
in its carrying trade. An excellent service is also main- 
tained with New York. 

Five railroads now enter the city, three using one track in 
common, namely, the Galveston, Houston and Henderson, 
the International and Great Northern, and the Missouri, 






fj 




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TS 




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175 



176 



THE Gr:OGRAPIIY OF TEXAS 



Kansas and Texas. The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe 
also connects the city with Houston, but its main line, 
running in a northwest direction, reaches the j^opulous 
region of northern Texas. The Galveston, Houston and 
Northern (Southern Pacific) extends from Houston to Gal- 
veston via West Laporte on the bay. The Gulf and 




Fig. 116. Building the Galveston Ska Wall 

The granite riprap for protection on the Gulf side is shown in the fore- 
ground. To the right are seen the timber molds for the concrete 



Interstate Railway from Beaumont to Port Bolivar reaches 
Galveston by means of a ferry transfer. 

Since the storm in 1900 building has been actively car- 
ried on and public improvements have been undertaken 
which will render the repetition of the great tidal disaster 
impossible. An immense sea wall 17 feet high, 16 feet wide 
at the base, and 17,593 feet long is now completed. The 




Fig. 117. The Galvestox Sea Wall 
A completed section after the mold had been removed 









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Fk;. 118. The (iALVEsrox Sea Wall 

This view is from the top of the wall looking west. The riprap is shown 
on the left. Within the wall, on the right, the grade is to be raised by 
a lillinu of sand 

177 



178 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



wall itself is of concrete and rests upon piling driven to 
the depth of 40 feet. On the front or exposed side it is 
protected by a riprap of large granite blocks brought 
from Granite mountain in Burnet county. On the inner 
side the grade is to be raised by a filling of sand, thus 
completing an effectual barrier to further encroachments 




Fig. 110. Galveston looking west from the Courthouse 
The building in the center is the Ball High School 

of the sea. For this work a bond issue of -fl, 50 0,000 was 
autliorized. 

Galveston has a large wholesale trade in dry goods, 
groceries, and clothing. Its public schools have long been 
known for their excellence, especially the Ball High School. 
The Medical Department of the State University is located 
here (see Fig. 90), also the John Sealy Hospital and Saint 
Mary's Infirmary, the latter under the care of the Sisters 
of the Incarnate Word. The city is governed by a board 
of five commissioners elected by the qualified voters. 



THE nUXCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



179 



136. (5) Fort Worth (26,688), the county seat of Tarrant 
county, is situated on the Trinity river thirty-two miles 
west of Dallas. It is one of the most enterprising cities 
in the state, with many fine business blocks and residences. 




Fig. 120. Tarrant County CoruTiiorsE, Fort AVorth 

Among its new and costly buildings may be mentioned 
the County Courthouse, the Federal Building, the Texas 
and Pacific Passenger Station, and the Carnegie Library. 

This city is another large railroad center, no less than 
ten lines converging here. The Texas and Pacific, extend- 
ing from New Orleans to El Paso, is joined at this point 
by its transcontinental branch from Texarkana via Paris, 
Sherman, and Whitesboro. Tlie Fort Worth and Denver 
City crosses the Panhandle and, with the Colorado South- 
ern, forms a through line to Denver. The Chicago, 



180 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Rock Island and Gulf, in connection with the Chicago, 
Rock Island and Pacific, reaches the Indian Territory, Okla- 
homa, and the many points on the Rock Island system. 
The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, from Galveston, passes 
through the city and, continuing northward, connects with 
the great network of railroads in Kansas and other western 





) 

^ 





Fig. 121. Texas axd Pacific Passenger Station, Fort Worth 

states. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas, from Galves- 
ton and San Antonio via Waco and Fort Worth, extends 
to Denison, thence to the Indian Territory and the 
states to the northeast. The Saint Louis Southwestern 
(" Cotton Belt ") extends in a general eastern direction 
to Texarkana, thence to Saint Louis. The recently con- 
structed Fort Worth Division of the International and 



THE riiiNcirAL cities of texas 



181 



Great Northern extends in a southeastern direction to 
Houston. The Fort Worth and Rio Grande, building in a 
southwest direction, has now reached Brady. The " Frisco " 
enters the city by the Red Rivei', Texas and Southern Rail- 
way from Sherman, and the Houston and Texas Cen- 
tral by means of 
a branch from 
Garrett. 

Among the 
industrial estab- 
lishments of 
Fort Worth are 
found tiie shops 
of several rail- 
roads, three 
grain elevators, 
two flour mills, 
five ice factories, 
a compress, a 
cotton-seed-oil 
mill, two found- 
ries, three brew- 
eries, etc. Its 
meat-packing 
houses and stock yards rank next to those of Kansas City. 
Two establishments have a daily capacity of a thousand 
cattle and twenty-five hundred hogs, A large wholesale 
trade in groceries, dry goods, drugs, hardware, crockery, 
furniture, and lumber is centered here, Fort Worth being a 
distributing point for the Panhandle country. The bank- 
ing interests include six national banks, a savings bank, 
and a trust company. 




Fig. 122. Post Office, Fort Worth 







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BV 



Fig. 123. C\vKNE(iiE Ti lii.u J^iiiitAuv, Four Worth 




Fig. 124. City Hall, Fort Worth 

182 



THE FKINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 183 

The city has many churches, a fine system of public 
schools, a university under the auspices of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, a polytechnic college under the auspices 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and many pri- 
vate institutions. There are electric street railways, includ- 
ing an interurban line to Dallas, waterworks, electric light 
and gas plants, paved and graded streets, all of which 
indicate energy and thrift on the part of its inhabitants. 

137. (G) Austin (22,258), the county seat of Travis 
county and since 1839 the capital of Texas, is beautifully 
located on the Colorado river, eighty-one miles northeast 
of San Antonio. It is situated at the foot of the Balcones 
scarp, just below the canyon portion of the Colorado valley. 
Its site is somewhat irregular, being traversed by Shoal 
creek on the west and Waller creek on the east. The 
original limits of the city have long since been outgrown, 
and it has now spread to the north and east and even to 
the south across the river. The new State Capitol (see 
frontispiece), said to be the seventh largest building^ in 
the world, occupies a commanding position on Capitol 
Hill, and its dome, surmounted by the Goddess of Liberty 
holding aloft the "lone star," is visible for miles. This 
magnificent edifice is built of red granite from Burnet 
county. It contains the offices of the governor and of the 
various officials who conduct the business of the state, the 
rooms of the Supreme Court, of the Court of Civil Appeals, 
third supreme judicial district, the Railroad Commission, 
the State Library, the Library of the Supreme Court, and 
the halls of the two branches of the legislature, the Senate 
and the House of Representatives. The General Land 
Office occupies a building at the southeast corner of the 
Capitol grounds. Half a mile north of the Capitol are 




Fk;. 125. Gexki!al (State) Land Office fkom Capito 
^ Grounds. Austin 




Yir.. li^(i. Fedkual El ildix(., .Vusti.v 

In this buikliiia: are located the Post Office, Federal Court rooms, and 

the Internal Revenue offices 

184 



THE PRIXCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



185 



the campus and buildings of The University of Texas (see 
Fig. 89), the largest educational institution in the state. 
The Lunatic Asylum, the Institute for the Blind, the Deaf 
and Dumb Asylum, and the Institute for the Deaf, Dumb, 
and Blind Colored Youths are all located in Austin. The 
city has excellent schools, public and private. Saint 
Mary's Academy for girls and Saint Edward's College for 



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Fig. 127. Setox Infirmary, Austin 

This large and well-equipped hospital is conducted by the Sisters of 
Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul 

boys and young men, the latter three miles south of the city, 
are well-known Catholic institutions. There are also two 
colleges for the training of colored students. Austin has 
many churches, a theological seminary under the auspices 
of the Presbyterians, three hospitals, electric street cars, 
waterworks, electric lights, and gas. That it is largely a 
residence city is shown by its numerous and attractive 
homes. Among its industries may be mentioned two ice 



186 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

factories, a large cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a 
cannery, marble works, a saddlery and harness manufactory, 
and two large printing and publishing houses. Other 
business interests are represented by several wholesale 
houses dealing in groceries, hardware, dry goods, and 
notions, a fire-insurance company, and five national banks. 

The main line of the International and Great Northern 
Railroad, from Laredo on the Mexican frontier, passes 
through the city, also the Austin branch of the Houston 
and Texas Central Railroad, from Hempstead on the main 
line to Llano ; while the recent extension of a branch of 
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway from Granger 
affords another desirable outlet. 

138. (7) Waco (20,686), the county seat of McLennan 
county, is situated on both banks of the Brazos, near the 
mouth of Bosque river, eighty-nine miles south of Fort 
Worth. Surrounded by a fertile farming land, it is one 
of the most prosperous cities in the state. It is well built 
and covers an area of about four square miles. In addi- 
tion to its importance as a large inland cotton market, it 
maintains an extensive trade with other parts of the state, 
as is shown by the number and character of its wholesale 
houses dealing in groceries, hardware, drugs, boots and 
shoes, machinery and farming implements, saddlery, etc. 
Among the industries of the city are four cotton com- 
presses, two cotton-seed-oil mills, a large cotton and woolen 
mill, a flour mill, two grain elevators, two ice factories, a 
beef and pork packing house, two planing mills, an iron 
foundry, boiler and machine works, and a number of smaller 
manufactories. The business interests centered here are 
sufficient to maintain three national banks and three other 
financial institutions. 



tup: pRixcirAL cities of TEXAS 187 

Waco has many excellent buildings, of which the new 
Courthouse, the Federal and the Provident buildings, 
and the City Hall are noteworthy examples. Churches 
and schools abound ; indeed so numerous are tlie latter 
that Waco is often called "the Athens of Texas." Of the 
higher institutions of learning mention may be made of 
Baylor University, Baptist, the oldest college in the state ; 
Texas Christian University, Christian (formerly Add-Ran) 
University; Saint Basil's College; the Academy of the 
Sacred Heart ; and Paul Quinn College for negroes. The 
public schools are excellent and well equipped. 

The city water supply is derived in part from a remark- 
able series of artesian wells and in part from tubular wells 
sunk in the land bordering the Brazos river. 

As at Dallas and Fort Worth, railroads radiate from 
Waco in many directions : the Missouri, Kansas and 
Texas to the north and south ; branches of the Inter- 
national and Great Northern and of the Houston and 
Texas Central to the east and southeast respectively ; the 
Saint Louis Southwestern ("Cotton Belt") to the north- 
east and southwest; the San Antonio and Aransas Pass 
to the south ; and the Texas Central to the northwest. 
The city has an excellent electric street-car service, and is 
lighted by both electricity and gas. 

139. (8) El Paso (15,906), the county seat of El Paso 
county, is situated on the left bank of the Rio Grande, in 
the extreme western part of the state, opposite the Mexi- 
can city of Ciudad Juarez {se-oo-dad' hwd'rds). The 
American settlement that sprung up here after the Mexi- 
can War was first known as Franklin, but later, about 1860, 
its name was changed to El Paso. Where in 1880 there 
stood a small village with only 736 inhabitants there is 



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-m.vjjL.u^^>- 




Fig. 128. A Paht of El Paso. Mount Franklin in the 
Background 

From the El Paso Album, by permission. Copyright, 1903 




¥ui. 129. El Paso Colnty Coi rtiioi se. El Paso 

From the El Paso Album, by permission. Copyright, 1903 

188 



THE PKIXCirAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



189 



now a modern well-built city with many excellent public 
buildings, churches, and schools. 

On account of its altitude, 3720 feet above the level of 
the sea. El Paso has justly become famous as a health 
resort. It is a port of entry, and in the magnificent Federal 
Building are found the offices of the Custom House, the 
Post Office, and the United States Court rooms. The 




Fig. 130. City Hall, El Paso 
From tlie El Paso Album, by permission. Copyright, 190.'> 



imports received here, especially ores and bullion, are very 
large. Among other articles of import are hides, cattle, 
and tropical fruits. The exports, on the other hand, are 
largely manufactured goods, chiefly machinery. 

The commercial prosperity of El Paso is for the most 
part due to the mineral wealth tributary to the city. The 
smelting works, three miles west of town, are among the 



190 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



largest in the world, employing from 1200 to 1500 men. 
Ores are shipj)ed to these works from various parts of 
Mexico, New Mexico, and Arizona. East of town there 
is a smaller smelter belonging to the Federal Copper 
Company. 

The city has three national banks, one private bank, 
gas, water, and electric-light plants, a sewer system, fifteen 




Fk;. 181. An El Paso S.mkltkr 
From the El Paso Album, by permission. Copyright, 190;> 

miles of electric street railway, a number of large whole- 
sale and jobbing houses, two foundries and machine shops, 
three harness and saddlery factories, a carriage and wagon 
factory, two ice factories, two refrigerator plants, cigar 
factories, and stock yards. 

The public schools are among the best in the state. In 
them provision is made for American, INIexican, and negro 



THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 191 

pupils. The high school has a new and thoroughly modern 
building and is well furnished and equipped. Hotel Dieu 
is an excellent hospital under the management of the 
Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. 

El Paso has eight railroads. The Galveston, Harrisburg 
and San Antonio Railroad from the east and the Southern 
Pacific from the west, links in the transcontinental '^ Sun- 
set Route," join here. This city is the western terminus 
of the Texas and Pacific Railway and the northern terminus 
of the iNlexican Central. A branch of the Santa F^ extends 
northward to Albuquerque, and by means of the El Paso 
and Northeastern system connection is made with the 
Rock Island system at Santa Rosa, New Mexico. The 
recently constructed Rio Grande, Sierra ^Madre and Pacific 
Railway has opened up important territory to the south- 
west in Mexico, and the El Paso Southwestern Railroad, 
the " Bisbee " line, affords direct communication with the 
rich mining regions of New Mexico, Arizona, and the 
Republic. 

On account of the aridity of the western portion of 
Texas, agriculture is impossible without irrigation. In the 
valley of the Rio Grande, both above and below^ El Paso, 
water may be obtained either directly from the river or 
from wells tapping an inexhaustible underflow. In this 
region there are many excellent farms and valuable orchards, 
gardens, and vineyards. 

140. (9) Laredo (13,429) is located on the Rio Grande, 
opposite the Mexican town of Nueva Laredo, one hundred 
and fifty-three miles southwest of San Antonio. It is the 
county seat of Webb county and is an important business 
center. The International and Great Northern Railroad 
connects here with the National Railroad of Mexico, forming 



192 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

a through line to the city of Mexico. The Rio Grande 
and Eagle Pass Railway extends in a northwest direction 
thirty miles to the Santo Tomas coal field, and the Texas- 
Mexican Railway affords communication with Corpus 
Chris ti on the Gulf coast. 

Like El Paso and Eagle Pass, Laredo serves as a gate- 
way to the Mexican republic, hence it is often called the 
" Gate City." It has two national banks, six churches, 
and both public and private schools. Among the latter 
is a seminary for Mexican girls, in connection with which 
there is also a military school for boys. These institu- 
tions are under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church South. The industrial establishments of Laredo 
include the extensive shops of the National Railroad of 
Mexico and several large brickmaking plants. 

A considerable business is conducted with Mexico, 
especiall}^ in the line of hardware. The city is a shipping 
point for hides and wool. Two bridges span the Rio 
Grande at this point, one exclusively for the railroad and 
the other for wagons and foot passengers. The excellent 
onions raised on the irrigated lands in this vicinity have 
acquired more than a local reputation, and other vegetables 
thrive when supplied with a sufficient amount of moisture. 

141. (10) Denison (11,807), three miles south of Red 
river and nine miles north of Sherman, is an important 
railroad town. It originated with the Missouri, Kansas 
and Texas Railway and is the focal point of the " Katy " 
system in Texas. It is also the northern terminus of 
the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. The Saint 
Louis, San Francisco and Texas and the Texas and Pacific 
railways afford many valuable connections, especially to 
the north, northeast, east, and southwest. Among tlie 



THE PKINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 193 

industries of the town are the shops of the Missouri, 
Kansas and Texas Railway, said to be the largest in the 
state, employing several hundred men, a large cotton-seed- 
oil mill, a compress, several gins, a large flour mill, two 
planing mills, an ice factory, three storage plants, brick- 
yards, cattle pens, and stock yards. 

Denison has two national banks, a trust company, two 
wholesale groceries, waterworks, a sewerage system, street 
cars, electric lights, etc. There are many churches and 
schools. Among the latter is Saint Xavier's Convent. As 
has been remarked, " the city is very advantageously situ- 
ated " : the coal fields of the Indian Territory are close at 
hand, the adjacent country is well adapted to diversified 
farming and fruit growing, and timber for various purposes 
is easily obtained. 

142. (11) Sherman (10,243), the county seat of Grayson 
county, lies sixty-four miles north of Dallas and nine miles 
south of Denison, with which it is connected by both steam 
and electric railways. In addition to the railroad facili- 
ties enjoyed by the latter, namely, those afforded by the 
Missouri, Kansas and Texas, the Houston and Texas Cen- 
tral, and the Saint Louis, San Francisco and Texas rail- 
ways, Sherman is reached by the transcontinental division 
of the Texas and Pacific, the Saint Louis Southwestern 
("Cotton Belt "), the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, and the 
Texas, Red River and Southern, the last mentioned afford- 
ing direct communication with Fort Worth. 

A large amount of business is centered here. Among 
the commercial and industrial enterprises of the city are 
three banks, two large wholesale groceries, two wholesale 
hardware establishments, three lumber yards, two found- 
ries, a bag factory, the largest cotton-seed-oil mill in the 



194 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

world, a cotton compress, three flour mills, two planing 
mills, an ice factory and cold-storage plant, two large 
nurseries, and a brickyard. 

Sherman is widely known for its educational institutions. 
In addition to its public schools, which are well conducted, 
Austin College (Presbyterian), Sherman Institute, Carr- 
Burdette Christian College, and Saint Joseph's Academy 
(Roman Catholic) are located here. 

143. (12) Beaumont (9427; in 1905 estimated at 21,500), 
the county seat of Jefferson county, is situated on the 
Neches river, at the head of tide-water navigation, thirty 
miles from the Gulf of Mexico and eighty-four miles north 
of east from Houston. For many years it was the center 
of the East Texas timber trade, and from this point large 
shipments of pine and cypress are made. Since 1900 there 
has been a large increase in the population on account 
of the extraordinary discoveries of oil within a few miles 
of the city. As to railroads Beaumont is greatly favored. 
The main line of the Texas and New Orleans Railroad, 
forming a part of the great Southern Pacific transcon- 
tinental route from New Orleans to San Francisco, passes 
through the city. A branch of this road extends in a 
southeast direction to Sabine and another in a northwest 
direction to Dallas. The Texarkana and Fort Smith Rail- 
way (Kansas City Southern) affords northern connections 
via Shreveport, Texarkana, and Kansas City, also a Gulf 
connection at Port Arthur. The Gulf and Interstate Rail- 
way is a direct line from Beaumont to Galveston, while 
the Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City Railway furnishes 
connections with the Santa Fe system. 

From a business standpoint the city is very active. It 
has three national banks and three trust companies. 



THE riuxcirAL cities of texas 195 

Among its industries are those concerned with the prep- 
aration of lumber and its products, such as sawmills, 
shingle mills, planing mills, and other woodworking plants, 
and a very large creosoting establishment. There are also 
boiler works, two iron works, tank factories, three rice 
mills, two ice factories, an electric-light plant, electric rail- 
ways, brickyards, etc. The business blocks are, for the 
most part, modern structures especially erected to meet 
the needs of a growing city. Of other buildings, mention 
may be made of the Post Office, High School, Court- 
house, and the new passenger station of the Texas and 
New Orleans Railroad. The municipal improvements 
include a sewerage system costing #80,000 and paved 
streets for which over 8-100,000 has been expended. The 
difficulties of securing wholesome water have now been 
overcome by the construction of an adequate waterworks 
plant. 



CHAPTER XVI 

CITIES AND TOWNS HAVING BETWEEN FIVE AND 
TEN THOUSAND INHABITANTS 

144. (13) Paris (9358), the county seat of Lamar county, 
lies fifteen miles south of Red river and sixty-four miles 
east of Sherman. The region to the south and west, as 
well as that along Red river, is exceptionally rich and pro- 
duces large crops of cotton and corn. The town is an 
important business center. It is the southern terminus of 
a branch of the " Frisco " system, by whicli direct connec- 
tion is made with Saint Louis and other northern points. 
It is also the northern terminus of the Texas IMidland, a 
railroad extending in a southwest direction to Ennis and 
of a branch of the Santa Fe from Cleburne. The Texas 
and Pacific Railway affords east and west connections. 

Paris has three national banks and a trust company, 
a Federal Building, a cotton compress, a flouring mill, 
two cotton-seed-oil mills, a planing mill, an ice fac- 
tory, waterworks, gas works, electric lights, and electric 
street-car service. It has also a very efficient system of 
public schools and is the seat of Mary Connor Female 
College. 

145. (14) Corsicana (9313), fifty-five miles northeast of 
Waco, is the county seat of Navarro county. Since the 
discovery of oil in 1896 it has become a place of consider- 
able importance. The oil wells here are not ''gushers," 
as were those of the Beaumont field, but "pumpers." 

196 



CITIES AND TOAVXS OF TEXAS 197 

Many have been put down on city lots and yield their 
owners a handsome income. 

Corsicana has four banks, three national and one private. 
Its most important industry is an oil refinery. Among its 
other industries are a cotton compress, two cotton-ginning 
establishments, two cotton-seed-oil mills, a cotton mill 
manufacturing both bagging and sheeting, an ice factory. 




ElG. 132. VlE\V IN THE CoKSK ANA OlL FlKLD 

A producing well iu the front yard or back lot of a dwelling 
is not uncommon 



a cold-storage plant, and a planing mill. The St-ate 
Orphans' Home and the Odd Fellows' Orphans' Home are 
both located here. 

The town is situated at the crossing of the Houston 
and Texas Central and the Saint Louis Southwestern 
(" Cotton Belt ") railways. It has seven public schools, 
fifteen churches, an electric-light plant, and an electric 
street railroad. 



198 THE GEOGRAniY OF TEXAS 

146. (15) Palestine (8297), the county seat of Anderson 
county, is a prosperous town on the International and 
Great Northern Railroad, at the junction of its lines from 
Laredo on the Mexican frontier and Galveston on the 
Gulf. It has three banks, two national and one private, 
a fine Young Men's Christian Association building, a com- 
press, a cotton-seed-oil mill, waterworks, and electric lights. 
The general offices, shops, and hospital of the railroad are 
located here. The surrounding country is well adapted 
to agriculture and fruit growing. 

At the saline, six miles west of Palestine, rock salt has 
been encountered by boring and a large salt-manufacturing 
plant established. 

147. (16) Tyler (8069), the county seat of Smith county, 
is an important railroad town seventy-five miles northeast 
of Corsicana. Here are located the general offices, shops, 
and hospital of the Saint Louis Southwestern Railway of 
Texas (^' Cotton Belt "). A branch of the International 
and Great Northern Railroad also passes through this 
place, affording connection with the main line at Troup 
and with the Texas and Pacific at Mineola. 

Tyler has of recent years become well known for its large 
shipments of fine fruits. It has four banks, two national 
and two private, a cannery, an ice plant, waterworks, an 
electric-light plant, a compress, an oil mill, a box factory, 
and a sawmill. It also has a good system of public schools 
and many churches. The United States Circuit Court and 
the state Court of Criminal Appeals hold sittings here. 

148. (17) Gainesville (7874), the county seat of Cooke 
county, is a thriving town at the crossing of the Gulf, 
Colorado and Santa Fe and the Missouri, Kansas and 
Texas railways, sixty-five miles north of Fort Worth and 



CITIES A^J) TOAVNS OF TEXAS 199 

six miles south of Red river. Situated in an excellent wheat- 
and cotton-growing region and having valuable fruit lands 
to the east and a cattle country to the northwest, it com- 
mands a good trade, both wholesale and retail. It has two 
national banks, five public schools, waterworks, and electric 
lights. Among its industries are the repair shops of the 
Santa Fe, a large flour mill, a foundry, a cotton-seed-oil 
mill, a compress, an ice factory, and a large grain elevator. 

149. (18) Marshall (7855), the county seat of Harrison 
county, lies at the junction of two lines of the Texas and 
Pacific Railway, that from Texarkana and that from New 
Orleans, which uniting here form a through route to Dal- 
las, Fort Worth, and the West. The Texas Southern Rail- 
way extends in a northwestern direction from this point, 
via Gilmer on the Saint Louis Southwestern Railway, to 
Winnsboro on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway. 

Marshall has two national banks, the extensive car and 
repair shops and the hospital of the Texas and Pacific 
Railway, a car-wheel foundry, a compress, a cotton-seed- 
oil mill, two saw and planing mills, an ice factory, water- 
works, an electric-light plant, and a cannery. Situated 
within the East Texas lumber region, it is an important 
shipping point for the numerous sawmills in its vicinity. 
P)ishop College and Wiley College, two large institutions 
for the education of colored people, are located here. 
Hynson's Iron Mountain Springs, six miles to the west, 
and Rosborough Springs, nine miles to the south, are 
well-known resorts. 

150. (19) Cleburne (7493), the county seat of Johnson 
county, is situated on the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe 
Railway, twenty-nine miles south of Fort Worth. The main 
line of this road, from Galveston, Houston, and Temple 



200 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

to Purcell in the Indian Territory, via Fort Worth, is 
here joined by the branch from Paris via Dallas and that 
from Weatherford. Cleburne is also connected with the 
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway at Egan by a tap 
of ten miles, and is a station on the Trinity and Brazos 
Valley Railroad. It has three national banks, a private 
bank, and lying in the midst of a rich farming country it 
is an important point of shipment and trade. Among its 
industries are the extensive shops of the Santa Fe, a com- 
press, two cotton-seed-oil mills, a flour mill, and elevators. 
The city has waterworks, electric lights, a Carnegie Library, 
many churches, and excellent public schools. Saint Joseph's 
Academy (Roman Catholic), a school for girls, is located 
here. 

151. (20) Temple (7065) is situated in the northeast 
quarter of Bell county, at the crossing of the Gulf, Colo- 
rado and Santa Fe and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas 
railways, ninety-nine miles south of Cleburne and one hun- 
dred and twenty-eight miles south of Fort Worth. The 
town is surrounded by black land of great richness, and 
large quantities of cotton and grain are marketed there. 
It has three national banks, three cotton compresses, two 
cotton-seed-oil mills which do a flourishing business, the 
repair shops and hospital of the Santa Fe, waterworks, an 
ice factory, an electric-light plant, a flour mill, two whole- 
sale groceries, a good system of public schools, and the 
King's Daughters Hospital. 

152. (21) Greenville (6860), the county seat of Hunt 
county, fifty-four miles northeast of Dallas, is an important 
railroad center. Lines of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas 
Railway enter the city from five different directions. It 
is also reached by the Saint Louis Southwestern and the 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 201 

Texas Midland railroads. It has good schools and numer- 
ous churches. Among the private institutions is Burleson 
College (Baptist). The surrounding country, which is well 
adapted to farming and stock raising, contributes much to 
the prosperity of the town. Its industries include a large 
cotton-seed-oil mill, an oil refinery, two compresses, an ice 
factory, a flouring mill, and railroad repair shops. The 
volume of business is sufficient for the maintenance of 
two national banks. 

153. (22) Terrell (6330) is situated in the northern part 
of Kaufman county, at the crossing of the Texas and 
Pacific and the Texas Midland railroads, thirty-two miles 
east of Dallas. It is the shipping point of a rich agricultural, 
stock, and fruit country. The North Texas State Hospital 
for the Insane is located here, also the shops and hospital 
of the Texas Midland Railroad. Among the commercial 
and industrial enterprises of the town are two national 
banks, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a compress, an electric-light 
plant, a flouring mill, an ice factory, and a foundry. The 
public schools are well conducted and are in a flourishing 
condition. 

154. (23) Brownsville (6305), the most southern city in 
the state, is built on the left bank of the Rio Grande 
opposite Matamoras, Mexico. It is the county seat of 
Cameron county and enjoys an extensive trade with the 
neighboring Republic. It is also the southern terminus of 
the Saint Louis, Brownsville, and Mexico Railway, locally 
known as the " Lott Road," a Gulf coast line, and the 
western terminus of the Rio Grande Railroad, a short line 
running to Point Isabel. The city has two national banks, 
a private bank, a Courthouse, a Federal Building, a large 
rice mill, a sugar mill, several wholesale houses, and an ice 



202 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

factory. On the irrigated lands in its vicinity rice, alfalfa, 
and vegetables are successfully grown. Steam navigation 
on the river is limited. 

155. (24) Brenham (5968), the county seat of Washing- 
ton county, i? situated at the crossing of the Gulf, Colo- 
rado and Santa Fe and the Houston and Texas Central 
railroads, seventy-one miles northwest of Houston. Located 
in the midst of a rich agricultural region, it has become 
an important shipping point and business center. It has a 
large cotton-seed-oil mill, two cotton compresses, a cotton 
mill, a foundry, an electric-light plant, a brickyard, and 
numerous smaller industries. There are two banks, one 
national, the other private, excellent public schools, and 
two colleges, the Blinn Memorial (German Methodist) and 
the Evangelical Lutheran. 

156. (25) Hillsboro (5346), the county seat of Hill 
county, lies thirty-four miles north of Waco, at the junc- 
tion of the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas lines from Dallas 
and from Fort Worth. It is also reached by a branch of 
the Saint Louis Southwestern from Corsicana, and is a 
station on the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad. 

The business portion of the town is Avell built. A 
handsome Courthouse adorns the public square, and there 
are many attractive residences. One of the largest com- 
presses in the state is located here. Other industries 
include a cotton mill, cotton-seed-oil mills, flour mills, 
and an ice factory. 

Hillsboro has five banking institutions, three national 
and two private. It is an important shipping point for 
live stock, — horses, mules, cattle, and hogs. Large crops 
of cotton, corn, and small grains are produced in its 
vicinity. 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 203 

157. (26) Texarkana (5256 in Texas, 4914 in Arkansas; 
total population 10,170) is the designation of " twin cities " 
on the Arkansas-Texas line, each of which has its own 
municipal government. They, however, constitute one 
community, and while their business and industries will be 
treated separately, a correct conception is possible only by 
considering both cities as a unit. With this understanding, 
we may say that Texarkana is an important railroad town, 
being the southern terminus of the Saint Louis, Iron Moun- 
tain and Southern Railway, the eastern terminus of the 
main line and transcontinental divisions of the Texas and 
Pacific Railway, and the northern terminus of a branch 
line to Shreveport. It is also the eastern terminus of the 
Saint Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas, which here 
connects with the Saint Louis Southwestern, and an 
important station on the Kansas City Southern (" Port 
Arthur Route "), the Texas portion of which is known as 
the Texarkana and Fort Smith Railway. Situated in a 
forested region, an extensive trade has been developed in 
pine lumber, shingles, furniture, and wooden ware. 

In the Texas city there are a national and a private 
bank, one of the largest ice plants in the state, a compress, 
a cotton-seed-oil mill, a handle factory, and a brickyard. 
It has also the general offices of the Texarkana and Fort 
Smith Railway, repair shops of the Texas and Pacific 
Railway, and is the division headquarters of all the rail- 
roads centering at this point. Among its improvements 
are a City Hall, six office buildings, an opera house, six 
churches, many macadamized streets, a sewer system, and 
an electric street-car line. 

The Arkansas city is the county seat of Miller county. 
It has a Courthouse, City Hall, two national banks, two 



204 THE (JEOGRArilY OF TEXAS 

large sawmills, gas woj'ks, Avaterworks, novelty works, and 
an electric-light plant ; also two wholesale grocery houses 
and a wholesale dry goods establishment. The hospital of 
the Saint Louis Southwestern Railways (" Cotton Belt ") 
is located here. The city has eight blocks of paved 
streets, a sewer system, and electric street cars. The 
Federal Building is on the state line. A Federal Court, 
however, sits in each city. 

158. (27) Bonham (5042) is a thriving town on the Texas 
and Pacific Railway, twenty-six miles east of Sherman. It 
is also connected with Denison by the Denison, Bonham 
and New Orleans Railroad, which is leased and operated 
by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway. Fannin 
county, of which it is the county seat and principal point 
of shipment, is widely known on account of the excellence 
of its land and the heavy crops of cotton, corn, and grain 
there produced. The raising of fine stock is a growing 
industry in this region, and the culture of fruit is now 
receiving attention. 

Bonham has two national banks, an electric street rail- 
way, waterworks, and good schools, public and private. 
Among the latter is Carlton College, an institution for the 
education of young ladies, conducted under the auspices 
of the Christian Church. The industrial establishments 
of the town include two large flour mills, a cotton mill, a 
cotton-seed-oil mill, cotton gins, a compress, an ice factory, 
and an electric-light plant. 



CHAPTER XVII 

CITIES AND TOWNS HAVING BETWEEN TWENTY-FIVE 
HUNDRED AND FIVE THOUSAND INHABITANTS 

159. (28) Ennis (4919) is situated in the eastern part of 
Ellis county, on the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, 
thirty-four miles southeast of Dallas. It is also the south- 
ern terminus of the Texas Midland Railroad. Like other 
towns of the Black Prairie belt, it is surrounded by rich 
farming lands. It has two national banks, the repair shops 
of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, a large com- 
press, a cotton-seed-oil mill, an ice factory, and yards for 
feeding and shipping cattle. 

160. (29) Weatherford (4786), the county seat of Parker 
county, is situated on the Texas and Pacific Railway, 
thirty-one miles west of Fort Worth. It is connected 
with Cleburne by the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Rail- 
way, and with Mineralwells by the AVeatherford, Min- 
eral Wells and Northwestern Railway. The town is 
well built, with brick and stone business blocks, and is a 
commercial center of importance. It has three national 
banks, electric lights, and waterworks. Among its ship- 
ments are cotton, grain, hides, and live stock. Its indus- 
tries include a cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, 
a cotton-yarn mill, three gins, two foundries, two ice 
factories, a pottery, a flouring mill, and a planing mill. 
The Texas Female College (Cumberland Presbyterian) is 
located here. 

205 



206 THE (;eo(tKAPiiy of texas 

161. (30) Corpus Christi (4703), the county seat of 
Nueces county, is an attractive town on Corpus Christi 
bay, one hundred and forty-nine miles south-southeast of 
San Antonio. It is reached by the San Antonio and 
Aransas Pass and the Texas Mexican railways. On ac- 
count of its position on the Gulf coast, Corpus Christi 
is an excellent health resort for both summer and winter. 
It has two national banks, a good Courthouse, four public 
schools, and ample accommodations for the numerous visi- 
tors who frequent the shore at all seasons. Its shipments 
include vegetables from the truck farms in the vicinity, 
fish and oysters, cotton, wool, and hides. 

162. (31) McKinney (4342), the county seat of Collin 
county, is a thriving town at the junction of the Houston 
and Texas Railroad and the McKinney branch of the 
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway, thirty-two miles 
north of Dallas. It has a fine Courthouse, two national 
banks, a private bank, artesian waterworks, a cotton com- 
press, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a round-bale gin, an electric- 
light plant, an ice factory, a flour mill and elevator, a large 
nursery, two wholesale grocery houses, many churches, 
and excellent schools. The surrounding country is in a 
high state of cultivation. 

163. (32) Gonzales (4297), the county seat of Gonzales 
county, is an old Texas town, settlement having been 
made in 1835. It is situated on the Guadalupe river, near 
the mouth of the San Marcos, sixty-five miles east of San 
Antonio. The construction of a dam at this point has 
furnished sufficient power to operate a gin, a gristmill, 
waterworks, an ice factory, and an electric-light plant. 
The town has a national bank, two private banks, eight 
churches, and excellent public schools, and in addition to 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 207 

the industries mentioned above, a round-bale cotton gin, 
two ordinary gins, a cotton factory, a cotton-seed-oil mill, 
and a brickmaking plant. 

Gonzales is known as the '' Lexington of Texas." Here, 
by command of Colonel John H. Moore, was fired the first 
gun of the Texas revolution (October 2, 1835). The 
town is reached by the Galveston, Harrisburg and San 
Antonio and the San Antonio and Aransas Pass railways. 

164. (33) Waxahachie (4215), the county seat of Ellis 
county, is a cotton market of much importance. It is said 
that more of that commodity is sold from wagons here than 
at any other place in the world. It is situated at the cross- 
ing of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas and the Houston 
and Texas Central railroads, thirty-one miles south of 
Dallas. It has a new and costly Courtliouse, a City Hall, 
the N. P. Sims Public Library, city waterworks, three 
national banks, a private bank, two loan and trust com- 
panies, a large cotton factory, a compress, two cotton-seed- 
oil mills, a flouring mill, ice and electric-light plants, and 
street cars. Trinity University, the chief educational insti- 
tution of the Cumberland Presbyterians, is located here. 
The surrounding country is very rich, and in addition to 
raising cotton, corn, and grain, the farmers are giving 
much attention to fine stock. 

165. (34) Taylor (4211) is a prosperous town in William- 
son county, thirty-five miles by rail northeast of Austin. 
It is located at the crossing of the International and Great 
Northern and Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroads, and is 
the principal point of shipment for a large territory. It 
has three national banks, several wholesale houses, two 
cotton-seed-oil mills, a cotton compress, the repair shops 
of the International and Great Northern Railroad, a large 



208 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

flour mill, an ice factory, an electric light and power plant, 
waterworks, etc. Within the limits of the town there are 
several artesian wells. The surrounding country is very 
rich and excellently adapted to cotton, corn, and grain. 
Here also the cultivation of fruit and vegetables and the 
rearing of fine stock are growing industries. 

166. (35) Denton (4187), the county seat of Denton 
county, is situated on the Texas and Pacific and the Mis- 
souri, Kansas and Texas railways, thirty-seven miles north- 
west of Dallas and thirty-six miles north-northeast of Fort 
Worth. It has three national banks, a large flour mill, 
elevators, a cotton-seed-oil mill, cotton gins, a brickyard, 
a planing mill, a cannery, waterworks (artesian), and an 
electric-light plant. The North Texas State Normal Col- 
lege (a large school for the training of teachers), the 
recently established Girls Industrial College, and the John 
B. Denton College are located here. 

167. (36) Victoria (4010), the county seat of Victoria 
county, is situated on the Guadalupe river, at the junction 
of the New York, Texas and Mexican and the Gulf, 
Western Texas and Pacific railways (Southern Pacific). 
The town is twenty-seven miles northwest of Port Lavaca 
on the Gulf and in the midst of an agricultural and stock- 
raising region. It has a good stone Courthouse, a national 
bank, two private banks, a City Hall, waterworks, a cotton- 
seed-oil mill, electric lights, and excellent public schools. 
It is also the seat of Nazareth Academy and Saint Joseph's 
College (Roman Catholic). 

Victoria is often called the '' City of Roses." Its streets 
are remarkably well kept and beautifully shaded with trees. 
Many wealth}^ stockmen have their homes here. Among 
the articles of export are cattle, hides, and cotton. 



CiTrES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 209 

168. (37) Brownwood (3065), the county seat of Brown 
county, is situated on Pecan bayou, at the junction of the 
San Angelo branch of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe 
and the Fort Worth and Rio Grande railways, one hun- 
dred and forty-one miles southwest of Fort Worth. It 
is the seat of Daniel Baker College (Presbyterian), and 
of Howard Payne College (Baptist). It has a national 
bank and two private banks, a compress, a cotton-seed-oil 
mill, two flouring mills, an ice factory, and a harness and 
saddlery manufactory. The gathering and shipment of 
pecan nuts is an important industry. It is said that the 
groves of pecan trees in this vicinity are unexcelled in 
the state. 

169. (38) Navasota (3857) is situated in the south- 
western part of Grimes county, seventy miles northwest of 
Houston. It lies on the w^est bank of the Navasota river, 
near its confluence with the Brazos. Lines of the Gulf, 
Colorado and Santa Fe, the Houston and Texas Central, 
and the International and Great Northern railroads afford 
excellent connections. jNIany of the business houses are 
built of brick and stone. The town has two national 
banks, a City Hall, waterworks, and electric lights. Its 
industries include a large cotton-seed-oil mill, a cotton 
compress, two machine shops, an ice factory, a wagon 
factory, and bottling works. The surrounding country 
produces large quantities of cotton. Truck farming (the 
raising of vegetables) is also carried on in the vicinity. 

170. (39) Orange (3835), the county seat of Orange 
county, lies on the right bank of the Sabine river, twenty- 
two miles east of Beaumont. It is an attractive town, 
with good public buildings, hotels, and business blocks. 
Its railroads are two in number, the Texas and New 



210 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Orleans (Southern Pacific) and the Orange and North- 
western. The latter connects with the Texarkana and 
Fort Smith Railway (Kansas City Southern) at Maurice, 
and with the Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City (Santa Fe) 
at Buna. 

Orange is in a rice- and cotton-growing country and is 
also the point of shipment of large quantities of lumber 
and shingles. It has two national banks, five saw and 
shingle mills, a rice mill, a large paper mill (using pine 
shavings), a foundry, an ice factory, and an electric-light 
plant. 

171. (40) Belton (3700), the county seat of Bell county, 
lies eight miles south of west of Temple, on the line of the 
San Angelo branch of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe 
Railway. It is also reached by a tap of the Missouri, 
Kansas and Texas Railway from Echo, near Temple. 
Among the industries of the town are a large cotton mill, 
a cotton-seed-oil mill, a flouring mill, and an electric-light 
plant. Belton has a national and two private banks, an 
excellent Courthouse, a Carnegie Public Library, and 
waterworks. As an educational center it is well known, 
being the seat of Baylor Female College (Baptist), one of 
the oldest institutions in the state, and of Belton Academy, 
a leading preparatory school. 

172. (41) Sulphur Springs (3635), the county seat of 
Hopkins county and an important town on the Saint Louis 
Southwestern Railway and the Shreveport line of the 
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway, is situated thirty- 
one miles east of Greenville and seventy-one miles south- 
east of Sherman. The surrounding country is not only 
well adapted to general agriculture, producing cotton 
and corn in abundance, but to the growth of fruits and 



CITIES AXD TOWXS OF TEXAS 211 

vegetables as well. The town has two national banks, 
a fine Courthouse, a college, and good public schools. 
Among its industries are a compress, two cotton-seed-oil 
mills, cotton gins, an ice plant, an electric-light plant, sev- 
eral furniture and woodworking establishments, and a 
brickyard. 

173. (42) Longview (3591), the county seat of Gregg 
county, is the northern terminus of the main line of the 
International and Great Northern Railroad and of the 
Texas, Sabine Valley and Northwestern Railway. The 
Texas and Pacific furnishes east and west connections. 
The town has the International and Great Northern repair 
shops, a foundry and machine shop, a compress, a cotton- 
seed-oil mill, plow works, a box factory, a saAvmill, an 
ice factory, and an electric-light plant. There are two 
national banks at this point. Situated in the Forested 
area, lumbering, as well as agriculture and fruit growing, 
is an important industry of the surrounding country. 

174. (43) Bryan (3589), the county seat of Brazos county, 
is located on the Houston and Texas Central and the In- 
ternational and Great Northern railroads, ninety-eight miles 
northwest of Houston. The Brazos bottom is one of the 
richest agricultural regions in the state, and a large part of 
its cotton product is marketed and shipped at this point. 
The town has a national and a private bank, a Carnegie 
Public Library, an Ursuline Academy for girls (Roman 
Catholic), and a Collegiate Institute (Baptist). Among 
its industrial establishments are a compress, a cotton-seed- 
oil mill, a sawmill and gristmill, and a number of small 
manufacturing plants. The Agricultural and Mechanical 
College at College Station, four miles to the south, is a 
large contributor to the volume of its retail trade. 



212 tup: GEOGRArilY OF Tf:XAS 

175. (44) Yoakum (3499) is a thriving railroad town in 
the northern part of Dewitt county, a hundred and seventy- 
one miles south of Waco and a hundred and nineteen 
miles southwest of Houston. It is situated on the San 
Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway, at the junction of its 
lines from the above-named cities. This road also affords 
direct communication with San Antonio and Corpus Christi. 
The town is well built, has a national and a private bank, 
waterworks, electric lights, and good schools. The round- 
house and repair shop of the San Antonio and Aransas 
Pass Railway, a cotton compress, cotton gins, and an 
ice plant are located here. The surrounding country is 
productive and devoted principally to raising cotton and 
corn. 

176. (45) Cuero [kwd-ro] (3422), the county seat, is situ- 
ated near the center of Dewitt county, two miles from 
the Guadalupe river. It is one hundred and thirty-seven 
miles by rail southwest of Houston and twenty-eight miles 
northwest of Victoria. The San Antonio and Aransas 
Pass Railway affords communication with San Antonio, 
Corpus Christi, and Houston, and the Gulf, Western 
Texas and Pacific Railway with Victoria. It has two pri- 
vate banks, a national bank, waterworks, electric lights, 
public and private schools. Among its industries are a 
cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a cotton factory, 
and several gins. A new Courthouse has recently been 
erected. The dam across the river, three miles above the 
town, has rendered the irrigation of a large tract of land 
possible, besides furnishing power to the cotton mill. 
Cotton is the chief product of the surrounding country, 
though vegetables in considerable quantities are raised 
and shipped to the larger cities of the state. 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 213 

177. (46) Abilene (3411) is the county seat of Taylor 
county. It is situated on the Texas and Pacific Railway, 
one hundred and sixty-one miles south of west from Fort 
Worth, and is an important point for the shipment of grain, 
cotton, and stock. The town is one of the most progress- 
ive in the state. It has a Federal Building, two national 
banks, a cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a flour mill, 
an ice factory, an electric-light plant, and waterworks. 
The well-built business blocks, the schools, churches, and 
attractive homes furnish abundant evidence of thrift and 
prosperity. The State Epileptic Colony (an asylum for the 
afflicted) and Simmons College (Baptist) are located here. 

178. (47) Cameron (3341), the county seat of Milam 
county, lies on the left bank of Little river, fifty-three 
miles south of Waco. The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe 
and the San Antonio and Aransas Pass railways cross at 
this point. The town, situated in the midst of a fine agri- 
cultural region, has a costly Courthouse, two national 
banks, a cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, an ice fac- 
tory, waterworks, and an electric-light plant. 

179. (48) Calvert (3322) is situated in the western part 
of Robertson county, on the Houston and Texas Central 
and the International and Great Northern railroads. It 
has a national and a private bank, waterworks (artesian), a 
compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, an ice factory and elec- 
tric-light plant, and is a point of shipment for agricultural 
products and lignite, large deposits of the latter having 
been opened up in its vicinity. 

180. (49) Marlin (3092), the county seat of Falls county 
and an important business center, is situated near the 
Brazos river, twenty -six miles below Waco. It is located 
in the midst of a very fertile region, and the curative 



214 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

properties of its artesian hot welP have given the town a 
wide reputation as a health resort. It has two national 
banks, a compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, an ice factory, 
waterworks, and an electric-light plant. The Fort Worth 
Division of the International and Great Northern and the 
branch of the Houston and Texas Central from Bremond 
to Waco cross here, affording excellent facilities for 
transportation. 

181. (50) Jefferson (2850), the county seat of Marion 
county, lies at the head of navigation on Big Cypress 
bayou, at the crossing of the Texas and Pacific and the 
Missouri, Kansas and Texas railways. It has a handsome 
Federal Building for the use of the United States Court 
and Post Office, a private bank, extensive sawmills, a 
cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, an iron furnace, 
iron works, gas works, an ice factory, and an electric-light 
plant. Situated in the Forested area of the state, it is 
the shipping point for large quantities of lumber. 

182. (51) Georgetown (2790), the county seat of William- 
son county, is located at the junction of the North and 
South forks of the San Gabriel river, twenty-eight miles by 
rail north of Austin. It is reached by a tap of the Inter- 
national and Great Northern Railroad from Roundrock, 
and also by the Austin branch of the Missouri, Kansas 
and Texas Railway from Granger. The town has excel- 
lent schools, many churches, and is the seat of South- 
western University, a flourishing institution under the 

1 This well was drilled by the city at a cost of $30,000. It is 3330 feet 
deep, flows at the rate of 80,000 gallons per day, has a temperature of 
147 degrees Fahr. , and a pressure of 97 pounds to the square inch. See 
"Geography and Geology of the Black and Grand Prairies, Texas," by 
Robert T. Hill, Twenty-first Annual Report of the United States Geo- 
logical Surveij, Fart VII, p. G45. 



CITIES AXD TOAVXS OF TEXAS 215 

auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. It 
has a national and a private bank, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a 
flouring mill, waterworks, and electric lights. 

183. (52) San Angelo (in 1890, 2615; estimated popula- 
tion, 1900, 5000 1), the county seat of Tom Green county, 
is located near the junction of the North and Middle forks 
of the Concho river, two hundred and twenty-seven miles 
west of Temple. It is the terminus of a bnmch of the 
Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway and the distribut- 
ing and shipping point for a large territory. Its main in- 
dustries are those connected with stock raising and wool 
growing, but in the vicinity of the rivers there is much 
irrigated farming, and vegetables, especially celery, are suc- 
cessfully grown. The town has a good Courthouse, three 
national banks, a private bank, public and private schools, 
waterworks, an electric-light plant, an ice factory, several 
wholesale houses, and a carriage factory. A telephone 
system connecting the various ranches has its headquarters 
here. 

184. (53) Crockett (2612), the county seat of Houston 
county, is situated on the International and Great Northern 
Railroad, thirty-eight miles south of Palestine. It is in 
the East Texas lumber region, and the surrounding country 
is well adapted to the growth of fruits and vegetables. It 
has two national banks, and among its industrial estab- 
lishments are a cotton-seed-oil mill, a compress, saw and 
planing mills, an ice factory, and an electric-light plant. 

185. (54) Bowie (2600), sixty-nine miles northwest of 
Fort Worth, lies in the soutliwest part of Montague county, 
at the crossing of the Fort Worth and Denver City and 
the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf railways. The adjacent 

1 No returns given in the reports of the Twelfth Census. 



216 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

region is valuable not only for general agriculture Init also 
for fruit culture. Bowie has two national banks, and its 
industries include a cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, 
a flouring mill, a fruit cannery, an ice factory, and an 
electric-light plant. It is an important shipping point for 
farm products, cotton, and fruit. Coal seam No. 7 (see 
Fig. 72) has been worked near the town. 

186. (55) Smithville (2577), an important railroad town, 
is situated in the western part of Bastrop county, fifteen 
miles southeast of Bastrop, at the junction of three lines 
of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway. The machine 
shops and roundhouse of that railway are located here. 
Other industries include a cotton compress, a cotton-seed- 
oil mill, electric-light and ice plants, and a local brick- 
making establishment. The railroad branch of the Young 
Men's Christian Association has a building at this point, 
and there is also a national bank. 

187. (bQ) Rockdale (2515) is a prosperous town at the 
crossing of the International and Great Northern Railroad 
and the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway, sixteen 
miles south of Cameron, in Milam county. It has a 
national bank, excellent schools, waterworks, a cotton-seed- 
oil mill, an ice factory and electric-light plant. Lignite is 
successfully mined in its vicinity. Cotton and grain are 
the chief shipments. 



zVPPEXDIX 



THE COUNTIES OF TEXAS 



Name 



Anderson 
Andrews 
Angelina 
Aransas . 
Archer . 
Armstrong 
Atascosa 
Austin . 
Bailey . 
Bandera 
Bastrop . 
Baylor . 
Bee . . 
Bell . . 
Bexar . 
Blanco . 
Borden . 
Bosque . 
Bowie 
Brazoria 
Brazos . 
Brewster 
Briscoe . 
Brown . 
Burleson 
Burnet . 



Area 

(Square 

Miles) 



Population 

(Twelfth 

Census) 



1,060 


28,015 


1,591 


87 


880 


13,481 


295 


1,716 


960 


, 2,508 


870 


1,205 


1,182 


7,143 


712 


20,676 


1,000 


4 


1,007 


5,332 


881 


26,845 


957 


3,052 


875 


7,720 


1,091 


45,535 


1,268 


69,422 


762 


4,703 


892 


776 


972 


17,390 


907 


26,676 


1,438 


14,861 


510 


18,859 


5,006 


2,356 


850 


1,253 


911 


16,019 


<;77 


18,367 


1,010 


10,528 



CoiNTV Seat 



Palestine 

Lufkin 

Rockport 

Archer City 

Claude 

Pleasanton 

Bellville 

Bandera 

Bastrop 

Seymour 

Beeville 

Belton 

San Antonio 

Johnson City 

Gail 

Meridian 

Boston 

Angleton 

Bryan 

Alpine 

Silverton 

Brown wood 

Caldwell 

Burnet 



21' 



218 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Name 



Area 

(Square 

Miles) 



Population 
(Twelfth 

Census) 



County Seat 



Caldwell . 
Calhoun 
Callahan 
Cameron 

Camp . . 

Carson . . 

Cass . . . 

Castro . . 

Chambers . 

Cherokee , 

Childress . 

Clay . . . 
Cochran 

Coke . . . 
Coleman 

Collin . . 
Collingsworth 

Colorado . 

Comal . . 

Comanche . 

Concho . . 

Cooke . . 

Coryell . . 

Cottle . . 

Crane . . 
Crockett 

Crosby . . 

Dallam . . 

Dallas . . 

Dawson . . 
Deaf Smith 

Delta . . 

Denton . . 

Dewitt . . 

Dickens . . 



530 
592 
882 

2,203 
217 
860 
945 
870 
648 
990 
660 

1,250 
959 
850 

1,302 
828 
867 
948 
569 
828 
941 

1,000 

1,115 
956 
850 

3,004 
984 

1,463 
900 
900 

1,477 
266 
805 
880 
918 



21,765 

2,395 

8,768 

16,095 

9,146 

469 

22,841 

400 

3,040 

25,154 

2,138 

9,231 

25 

3,430 

10,077 

50,087 

1,233 

22,203 

7,008 

23,009 

1,427 

27,494 

21,308 

1,002 

51 

1,591 

788 

146 

82,720 

37 

843 

15,249 

28,318 

21,311 

1,151 



Lockhart 

Port Lavaca 

Baipd 

Brownsville 

Pittsburg 

Panhandle 

Linden 

Dimmitt 

Wallisville 

Rusk 

Childress 

Henrietta 

Robert Lee 

Coleman 

McKinney 

Wellington 

Columbus 

New Braunfels 

Comanche 

Paintrock 

Gainesville 

Gatesville 

Paducah 

Ozona 
Emma 
Texline 
Dallas 

Hereford 

Cooper 

Denton 

Cuero 

Dickens 



APPENDIX 



219 



Name 



Area 

(Square 

Miles) 



Population 

(Twelfth 
Census) 



CouxTY Seat 



Dimmit . 

Donley . 

Duval 

Eastland 

Ector 

Edwards 

Ellis . . 

El Paso . 

Erath . 

Falls . . 

Fannin . 

Fayette . 

Fisher . 

Floyd . 

Foard 

Fort Bend 

Franklin 

Freestone 

Frio . . 
Gaines . 
Galveston 
Garza . 
Gillespie 
Glasscock 
Goliad . 
Gonzales 
Gray . . 
Grayson 
Gregg . 
Grimes . 
Guadalupe 
Hale . . 
Hall . . 
Hamilton 
Hansford 



1,164 


1,106 


878 


2,756 


1,887 


8,483 


947 


17,971 


976 


381 


2,408 


3,108 


1,066 


50,059 


9,353 


24,886 


1,110 


29,966 


844 


33,342 


940 


51,793 


992 


36,542 


836 


3,708 


1,036 


2,020 


636 


1,568 


897 


16,538 


325 


8,674 


947 


18,910 


1,064 


4,200 


1,590 


55 


438 


44,116 


821 


185 


1,140 


8,229 


952 


286 


817 


8,310 


1,079 


28,882 


860 


480 


1,012 


63,661 


287 


12,343 


770 


26,106 


717 


21,385 


1,036 


1,680 


868 


1,670 


858 


13,520 


860 


167 



Carrizo Springs 

Clarendon 

San Diego 

Eastland 

Odessa 

Rocksprings 

Waxahachie 

El Paso 

Stephenville 

Marlin 

Bonham 

Lagrange 

Iloby 

Floydada 

Crowell 

Richmond 

Mount Vernon 

Fairfield 

Pearsall 

Galveston 

Fredericksburg 
Garden City 
Goliad 
Gonzales 

Sherman 

Longview 

Anderson 

Seguin 

Plainview 

Memphis 

Hamilton 

Hansford 



220 



THE (iEOGKAl'IlY OF TEXAS 



Namk 



Hardeman 
Hardiu . 
Harris . 
Harrison 
Hartley . 
Haskell . 
Hays . . 
Hemphill 
Henderson 
Hidalgo . 
Hill ^ . 
Hockley 
Hood . 
Hopkins 
Houston 
Howard . 
Hunt . . 
Hutchison 
Irion . . 
Jack . . 
Jackson . 
Jasper . 
Jeff Davis 
Jefferson 
Johnson 
Jones 
Karnes . 
Kaufman 
Kendall . 
Kent . . 
Kerr . . 
Kimble . 
King . . 
Kinney . 
Knox 



Area. 

(Square 
Miles) 



532 

844 

1,761 

873 

1,400 

843 

647 

860 

940 

2,328 

1,006 

977 

436 

666 

1,192 

888 

888 

850 

800 

858 

888 

977 

1,922 

1,109 

740 

900 

740 

932 

613 

777 

1,210 

1,302 

928 

1,269 

947 



Population 
(Twelfth 
Census) 



3.634 
5,049 

63,786 

31,878 

377 

2,637 

14,142 
815 

19,970 
6,837 

41,355 

44 

9,146 

27,950 

25,452 
2,528 

47,295 
303 
848 

10,224 
6,094 
7,138 
1,150 

14,239 

33,819 
7,053 
8,681 

33,376 
4,103 
899 
4,980 
2,503 
490 
2,447 
2,322 



Cor:NTY Seat 



Quanah 

Kountze 

Houston 

Marshall 

Channing 

Haskell 

San Marcos 

Canadian 

Athens 

Hidalgo 

Hillsboro 

Granbury 

Sulphur Springs 

Crockett 

Bigspring 

Greenville 

Plemons 

Sherwood 

Jacksboro 

Edna 

Jasper 

Fort Davis 

Beaumont 

Cleburne 

Anson 

Karnes City 

Kaufman 

Boerne 

Clairemont 

Kerrville 

Junction 

Guthrie 

Brackettville 

Benjamin 



APPENDIX 



221 



Namk 



Area 
(Square 

Miles) 



Population 
(Twelfth 
Census) 



County Seat 



Lamar . 

Lamb . . 

Lampasas . 
Lasalle 

Lavaca . . 

Lee . . . 

Leon . . . 

Liberty . . 

Limestone . 

Lipscomb . 

Live Oak . 

Llano . . 

Loving . . 
Lubbock 
Lynn 

McCulloch . 

McLennan . 

McMullen . 
Madison 

Marion . . 

Martin . . 

Mason . . 

Matagorda . 

Maverick . 

Medina . . 

Menard . . 
Midland 

Milam . . 

Mills . . . 

Mitchell . . 

Montague . 
Montgomery 

Moore . . 

Morris . . 

Motley . . 



903 
1,021 

755 

1,707 

992 

6Q6 

1,066 

1,162 

987 

850 

1,123 

977 

873 

982 

821 

1,110 

1,080 

1,180 

488 

384 

900 

968 

1,135 

1,332 

1,284 

888 

972 

1,044 

604 

807 

976 

1,066 

885 

278 

984 



48,627 

31 

8,625 

2,303 

28,121 

14,595 

18,072 

8,102 

32,573 

790 

2,268 

7,301 

33 

293 

17 

3,960 

59,772 

1,024 

10,432 

10,754 

332 

5,573 

6,097 

4,066 

7,783 

2,011 

1,741 

39,666 

7,851 

2,855 

24,800 

17.067 

209 

8,220 

1,257 



Paris 

Lampasas 

Cotulla 

Hallettsville 

Giddings 

Centerville 

Liberty 

Groesbeck 

Lipscomb 

Oakville 

Llano 

Lubbock 

Brady 

Waco 

Tilden 

Madisonville 

Jefferson 

Stanton 

Mason 

Bay City 

Eagle Pass 

Hondo 

Menardville 

Midland 

Cameron 

Goldtliwaite 

Colorado 

Montague 

Conroe 

Dumas 

Daingerfield 

Matador 



222 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 





Area 


Population 




Name 


(Square 


(Twelfth 


County Seat 




Miles) 


Census) 




Nacogdoches 


962 


24,663 


Nacogdoches 


Navarro 


1,136 


43,374 


Corsicana 


Newton 


903 


7,282 


Newton 


Nolan 


828 


2,611 


Sweetwater 


Nueces 


2,460 


10,439 


Corpus Christi 


Ochiltree 


864 


267 


Ochiltree 


Oldham 


1,470 


349 


Tascosa 


Orange 


392 


5,905 


Orange 


Palo Pinto 


971 


12,291 


Palopinto 


Panola 


814 


21,404 


Carthage 


Parker 


888 


25,823 


Weatherford 


Parmer 


873 


34 




Pecos 


8,312 


2,360 


Fort Stockton 


Polk 


1,110 


14,447 


Livingston 


Potter 


874 


1,820 


Amarillo 


Presidio 


3,970 


3,673 


Marfa 


Rains 


252 


6,127 


Emory 


Randall 


872 


963 


Canyon 


Reagan 


1,050 




Stiles 


Red River 


1,061 


29,893 


Clarksville 


Reeves 


2,610 


1,847 


Pecos 


Refugio 


802 


1,641 


Refugio 


Roberts 


860 


620 


Miami 


Robertson 


913 


31,480 


Franklin 


Rockwall 


171 


8,531 


Rockwall 


Runnels 


1,073 


5,379 


Ballinger 


Rusk 


915 


26,099 


Henderson 


Sabine 


577 


6,394 


Hemphill 


San Augustine .... 


570 


8,434 


San Augustine 


San Jacinto 


636 


10,277 


Coldspring 


San Patricio 


700 


2,372 


Sinton 


San Saba 


1,150 


7,569 


San Saba 


Schleicher 


1,355 


515 




Scurry 


821 


4,158 


Snyder 


Shackelford 


926 


2,461 


Albany 



APPENDIX 



223 



Na.mk 



Shelby . . 
Sherman 

Smith . . . 

Somervell . 

Starr . . . 

Stepheiis . , 

Sterling . . 

Stonewall . , 

Sutton . . , 
Swisher . 

Tarrant . . , 

Taylor . . 

Terry . . , 
Throckmorton 

Titus . . , 
Tom Green 

Travis . . . 

Trinity . . , 

Tyler . . , 

Upshur , . 

Upton . . . 

Uvalde . . , 

Valverde . . 

Van Zandt . . 
Victoria . 

Walker . . . 

Waller . . . 

Ward . . 
Washington 

Webb . . . 

Wharton . . 

Wheeler . . 

Wichita . . . 



Area 
(Square 
Miles) 



814 

850 

984 

200 

2,510 

920 

821 

777 

1,517 

850 

900 

900 

828 

821 

421 

1,503 

1,036 

704 

925 

587 

1,190 

1,579 

3,034 

877 

883 

754 

510 

858 

568 

3,421 

1,137 

851 

606 



Population 

(Twelfth 
Census) 



20,452 

104 

37,370 

3,498 

11,469 

0,466 

1,127 

2,183 

1,727 

1,227 

52,376 

10,499 

48 

1,750 

12,292 

6,804' 

47,386 

10,976 

11,899 

16,266 

48 

4,647 

5,203 

25,481 

13,678 

15,813 

14,246 

1,451 

32,931 

21,851 

16,942 

636 

5,806 



CoiNTV Skat 



Center 

Coldwater 

Tyler 

Glenrose 

Riogrande 

Breckenridge 

SterUng City 

Aspermont 

Sonora 

Tulia 

Fort Worth 

Abilene 

Brownfield 

Throckmorton 

Mount Pleasant 

San Angelo 

Austin 

Groveton 

Woodville 

Gilmer 

Uvalde 

Delrio 

Canton 

Victoria 

Huntsville 

Hempstead 

Barstow 

Brenhani 

Laredo 

Wharton 

Mobeetie 

Wichita Falls 



' Including Reagan county. 



224 



THE (;e()(;kapiiy of texas 



Namk 


Akea 

(Square 

Miles) 


PoruLATiox 

(Twelfth 
Census) 


CurxTV Seat 


Wilbarger 

Williamson 

Wilson 

Winkler 

Wise 

Wood 

Yoakum 

Young 

Zapata 

Zavalla 


932 

1,169 

784 

888 

843 

688 

840 

821 

1,269 

1,328 


5,759 

38,072 

13,961 

60 

27,116 

21,048 

26 

6,540 

4,760 

792 


Vernon 

Georgetown 

Floresville 

Decatur 
Quitman 

Graham 

Zapata 

Batesville 



Note. By legislative enactment, approved April 8, 1905, the southern por- 
tion of Pecos county was set apart as au unorganized county under the name 
of Terrell, thus making the uumher of counties in the state 245. 




Fig, 133. Co 




Map of Trxas 



INDEX 



Abilene, 213. 
Adder, Spreading, 74. 
Agates, 110. . , ^ , 

Agricultural and Mechanical Col- 
lege, 139. 
Agricultural products, miscellane- 
ous, 90. 
Agriculture, 83. 

Alamo, fall of the, 128. 

Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, 160. 

Alligator, 72. 

Alluvial soil, 30. 

Altered rocks, 6, 8. 

Amphibians, 72. 

Angelina river, 31. 

Anglo-American, 122. 

Animals, 63. 

Animals and plants, characteristic, 

62. 
Anolis, Carolina, 72. 
Archaean system, 14. 
Area of Texas, 3. 
Arid conditions, 39. 
Armadillo, Nine-Banded, 65. 
Artesian springs, 38. 
Artesian water, 36. 
Artesian water area, 36. 
Artesian water-bearing strata, 36. 
Artesian wells, 30 ; Bosque farm, 
36; Denton, 38; Houston county, 
38 ; Marlin, 37 ; Fort Worth, 38 : 
Waco, 38. 



Arthropods, 81. 
Asphaltum, 102. 
Asylums, insane, 148, 185, 201. 
Austin, 4, 20, 183 ; industries of, 
185; railroads of, 186; rainfall 
of, 40 ; Capitol at, 183 ; univer- 
sity at, 185. 
Austin College, 145, 194. 
Austin lake, 32. 
Austin marble, 110. 
Austin, Moses, 124. 
Austin, Stephen F., 124, 128; arrest 

of, 126; letter of, 126. 
Austin white lime, 106. 
Austin's colony, 124. 
Austral region, 60, 61. 
Austroriparian division of lower 

Sonoran zone, 62. 
Available school fund, 135. 

Bailey county, population of, 4, 

217. 
Bailey, Florence Merriam, quoted, 

67. 

Bailey, Vernon, quoted, 69. 

Bars, 18. 

Basalt, 7. 

Bass, Large-Mouthed Black, 78. 

Bassaris, 67. 

Bat, 66. 
; Baylor Female College, 145, 210. 

Baylor University, 145, 187. 
225 



226 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Bear, Black, 67. 

Beaumont, 4, 194; industries of, 

195; railroads of, 194. 
Beaumont oil field, 100 ; output of, 

102. 
Belton, 210. 

Bienville, Sieur de, 122. 
Bison, American, 06. 
Black Prairie, 20 ; altitude of, 20 ; 

soil of, 29. 
Blackwell, Enid and Texas Railway, 

119. 
Blind, Institutions for the, 148, 185. 
Blinn Memorial College, 145, 202. 
"Blue northers," 45. 
Blue Peter, 71. 
Bob White, Texas, 70. 
Bohemian population, 154. 
Boll Weevil, Mexican, 63, 81. 
Bonham, 5, 204. 
"Bonnet Martyr," 71. 
Boreal region, 60. 
Boundaries of Texas, 2 ; natural, 

.3 ; surveyed, 3. 
Boundary, Louisiana-Texas, 123. 
Bowie, 215. 

Bowie, Colonel James, 164. 
Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, 

160. 
Brant, 71. 

Bray, Dr. William L., cited, 54. 
Brazos bottom, 30. 
Brenham, 202. 
Brick, 107. 
Broom corn, 90. 
Brownsville, 5, 201. 
Brownwood, 209. 
Bryan, 211. 

Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colo- 
rado Railway, 112. 



Buffalo Bird, 68. 

Building stones, 108. 

Burleson, Dr. R. C, 135. 

Burleson, General Edward, 126. 

Burnet, David G., 128, 132. 

Bustamante, 125. 

Buzzard, Mexican, 69 ; Turkey, 70. 

Caddo lake, 32. 

Callahan divide, 21. 

Calvert, 213. 

Cambrian system, 13. 

Cameron, 213. 

Canada Goose, 71. 

Cane Belt Railroad, 118. 

Cane, sugar, 90. 

Capitol granite, 14. 

Capitol, state, 183. 

Caracara, Audubon, 69. 

Carboniferous system, 13. 

Cardinal, 68. 

Carolina Dove, 70. 

Carr-Burdette Christian College, 

145, 194. 
Cat, channel, 78 ; mud, 78. 
Catfish, 78. 
Cattle, 93, 
Cedars, 55, 56. 
Cement rocks, 106. 
Cements, 106. 
Central basin, 21 ; drainage of, 31 ; 

relief of, 22 ; soil of, 30. 
Cereals, 84. 
Chalk, 7. 
Chaparral, 59. 
Chaparral Cock, 69. 
Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf 

Railway, 119. 
Chickens, 94. 
Chinati mountains, 28. 



l^'DEX 



227 



Chisos mountains, 25. 

Cinnabar, 104. 

Civet Cat, 67. 

Claims, French and Spanish, 121. 

Clays, 107. 

Clear fork of Brazos river, 32. 

Clear lake, 32. 

Cleburne, 5, 190. 

Cline, Dr. I. M., quoted, 48. 

Coach-whip, 74. 

Coal, carboniferous, 06 ; cretaceous, 
98. 

Coal Company, Texas and Pacific, 
06. 

Coal fields, Brazos, 98; Colorado, 
98 ; Nueces or Eagle Pass, 08. 

"Coal measures," 13. 

Coal mining, near Bridgeport, 96 ; 
near Rockcreek, 96 ; near Strawn, 
96 ; at Thurber, 06. 

Coal seam. No. 1, 96; No. 7, 96. 

Coast prairie, vegetation of, 58. 

Coastal plain, 15 ; drainage of, 31 ; 
soils of, 29. 

Coastal slope, drainage of, 31. 

Cold waves, 44. 

College, Agricultural and Me- 
chanical, 139; Baylor Female, 145, 
210 ; Bishop, 199 ; Burleson, 201 ; 
Carlton, 204 ; Daniel Baker, 209 ; 
Howard Payne, 200; of Indus- 
trial Arts for Young Women, 138; 
Texas Female, 205 ; Wiley, 199. 

Colleges, denominational, 144. 

Colony, Austin's, 124. 
Colorado river, 31, 34. 
Colored population, 150. 
Common snipe, 71. 
Concepci6n, battle of, 126. 
Confederate Home, 148. 



Conglomerate, 13. 
Conventions of colonists, 125. 
Coot, American, 71. 
Cope, Professor Edward, quoted, 
73, 74, 75. 

Copper, 105. 

Copperhead, 75. 

Copper ore, 105. 

Corazones mountains, 25. 

Corn crop, 84. 

Corn-producing counties, 84. 

Coronal Institute, 145. 

Corpus Christi, 206. 

Corsicana, 5, 196 ; oil wells at, 
102, 106. 

Cos, General, 126. 

Cotton, 83. 

Cottonmouth, 76. 

Cotton-seed oil, 84. 

Cotton-seed products, 84. 

Cones, Dr. Elliott, quoted, 68, 69, 70. 

Counties, areas of, 217-224; county 
seats of, 217-224; list of, 217- 
224; number of, 4, 224; organ- 
ized, 4; population of, 217-224; 
unorganized, 4, 224. 

Courts, Civil Appeals, 131 ; Com- 
missioners', 132; County, 132; 
Criminal Appeals, 131 ; District, 
131; Justices'. 132; Supreme, 131. 

Cowbird, or Cow Blackbird, 68. 

Cows, milch, 93. 

Coyote, 67. 

Cretaceous coal, 98. 

Cretaceous system, 12. 

Crocodilian, 72. 

Crockett, 215. 

Crop reporter, 84, 85, 87. 

Cross timbers, 20. 55. 

Crow Duck, 71. 



228 



THE GEOGRArilY OF TEXAS 



Crustaceans, 81. 
Cuero, 212. 
Cypress, 49, 55. 

Dallas, 4, 20, 164; industries of, 

167 ; location of, 167 ; schools of, 

168; railroads of, 168, 169; 

trade of, 167. 
Dallas, Cleburne and Southwestern 

Railway, 119. 
Dallas county, population, 4, 218. 
Daniel Baker College, 145, 209. 
Davis mountains, 25, 27. 
Deaf and Dumb Asylum, 148, 185. 
Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institution 

for Colored Youths, 148, 185. 
Deer, Texan or Fan-Tailed, 66. 
De Le6n, 121. 
Delaware mountains, 13. 
Delrio formation, 12. 
Delta of Trinity river, 17. 
Delta shore lines, 17. 
Denison, 4, 192 ; railroads of, 192. 
Denison, Bonham and New Orleans 

Railroad, 118. 
Denominational colleges, 144. 
Denton, 208. 
Denver System, 119. 
Departments of government, 130. 
Deposits, nonmarine, 8 ; sea, 8. 
Diablo mountains, 13, 27. 
Distributaries of Trinity river, 17, 18. 
Distribution of rainfall, 39. 
Drainage of Central basin, 31 ; of 

Coastal plain, 31 ; kinds of, 31 ; 

of older portions of the Coastal 

slope, 31 ; of plateaus, 32 ; of 

Rocky mountains, 32. 
Dry northers, 45. 
Ducks, 94. 



Eagle lake, 32. 

Eagle mountains, 28. 

Earthenware, 107, 108. 

East Texas timber, 49, 58. 

Education, 134. 

Edwards plateau, 23; altitude of, 

24 ; forest growth of, 55 ; rocks 

of, 8 ; soil of, 30. 
Egret, Little White, 71. 
Eleemosynary institutions, 148. 
El Paso, 4, 187 ; altitude of, 189 ; 

exports and imports of, 189 ; 

irrigation near, 191 ; railroads 

of, 191 ; rainfall of, 42. 
El Paso county, area of, 4, 219. 
Emory, Mount, 27. 
"Empire State," 3. 
English population, 155. 
Ennis, 205. 
Eocene system, 11. 
Epileptic colony, 148, 213. 
Espantosa lake, 32. 
Evermann and Kendall, quoted, 

78. 
Executive department, 131 ; offi- 
cers, 131. 
Exogyra arietina, 12. 

Fannin, Captain J. W., 128, 164. 
Fauna, 63 ; of the lower Rio 

Grande, 64. 
Fertilizers, 110. 
Finlay mountains, 28. 
Fire brick, 108. 
Fishes, 78. 

Fishing industry, 80. 
Flounder, southern, 80. 
Forage, 90. 
Foraminifers, 7, 12. 
Foreign-born population, 153. 



INDEX 



221) 



Forest growths of Edwards plateau, 
65 ; of Trans-Pecos mountains, 56. 

Forested area, 19 ; soils of, 29 ; 
topography of, 19. 

Fort Clark, rainfall at, 42. 

Fort Davis, rainfall at, 42. 

Fort Elliott, rainfall at, 42. 

Fort Saint Louis, 121. 

Fort Sam Houston, 162. 

Fort Worth, 4, 179; industries of, 
181 ; railroads of, 179. 

Fort Worth and Denver City Rail- 
way, 119. 

Fort Worth and Rio Grande Rail- 
way, 119. 

Fort Worth University, 145. 

Franklin, 187. 

"Frisco" System, 119. 

Frog, Horned, 73. 

Fruit and vegetables, 87. 

Gainesville, 5, 198. 

Galveston, 4, 173; railroads of, 
174 ; rainfall at, 40 ; sea wall at, 
176 ; shipping facilities of, 174 ; 
trade of, 178. 

Galveston, Harrisburg and San 
Antonio Railway, 115. 

Galveston, Houston and Hender- 
son Railroad, 112, 117. 

Galveston, Houston and Northern 
Railway, 117. 

Galveston and Red River Railroad, 
112. 

Galveston storm. 46. 

Garriott, Professor E. B., (juoted, 
46, 47. 

Garrison, Dr. George P., cited, 132. 

Gas, natural, 102. 

Gastropods, 81. 



'•Gate City," 192. 

Geese, 94. 

Geography defined, 1. 

Geological map, 9. 

Geology, relations of, to physical 
geography, 6. 

Georgetown, 214. 

German population, 154. 

Germany, 3. 

Girls Industrial College, 138. 

Gold and silver, 105. 

Golden-Fronted Woodpecker, 69. 

Goliad, massacre at, 128. 

Gonzales, 206; cannon at, 126. 

Gould System, 117. 

Government of Texas, 130. 

Governor, 131. 

Governors of the state, 133. 

Grand lake, 32. 

Grand prairie, 20 ; altitude of, 21 ; 
soil of, 29. 

Granite, 7, 14; quarries, 108. 

Granite mountain. 108. 

Granites, Trans-Pecos, 108. 

Greely, General A. W., quoted, 44. 

" Green-head," 71. 

Greensand marl, 111. 

Greenville, 5, 200. 

Grimes county, soil of, 29. 

Ground Cuckoo, 69. 

Ground, neutral, 123. 

Guadalupe mountains, 13, 25. 

Guadalupe peak, 25. 

Guadalupe river, 31, 32. 

Guano, bat, 110. 

(Juerrero, President, 125. 

Gulf, Beaumont and Great North- 
ern Railway, 118. 

Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City 
Railway, 118. 



280 



TJIK (iEOGUArilY OF TEXAS 



Gulf, Colorado and Santa F^ Rail- 
way, 118. 

Gulf and Interstate Railway, 
120. 

Gulf slope, region of, 15 ; arrange- 
ment of strata in, 10. 

Gulf, Western Texas and Pacific 
Railway, 116. 

Gull, common American, 72. 

Gull, Ring-Billed, 72. 

Gutierrez, Colonel Bernardo, 123. 

Gypsum, 7, 12, 106, 111. 

Hematite, 103. 

Heron, Snowy, 71. 

Hill, Robert T., 25, 38. 

Hillsboro, 5, 202. 

History, important events in Texas, 
121. 

Houston, 4, 170 ; industries, 172 ; 
railroads, 170; schools, 172. 

Houston, East and West Texas 
Railway, 117. 

Houston, General Sam, 126, 128. 

Houston Tap, 113. 

Houston Tap and Brazoria Rail- 
road, 113. 

Houston and Texas Central Rail- 
road, 117. 

Houston and Texas Central Rail- 
way, 112. 

Home, Confederate, 148. 

Honey, 94. 

Horses, 93. 

Howard Payne College, 145, 200. 

Howell, Edwin E., 16. 

Hueco mountains, 13, 28. 

Humid conditions, 30. 

Hurricanes, 46. 

Hutson, William F., quoted, 39. 



Igneous rocks, 6, 7. 
Indianola, storm at, 46. 
Industrial Arts, College of, for 

Young Women, 138. 
Industrial College, Prairie View 

State Normal and, 138. 
Industries of Texas, 83. 
Infirmary, Seton, 185. 
Insane asylums, 148. 
Insects, 63, 81. 
International and Great Northern 

Railroad, 117. 
Invasion, Long's, 124. 
Invertebrates, 81. 
Irish population, 155. 
Iron furnaces, 103. 
Iron ores, 103. 
Irrigation, 34; Coastal plain, 35; 

Delrio, 35; Menardville, 35; 

North Concho, 35 ; Pecos, 35. 
Islands of Texas, 17. 
Italian population, 155. 

Jaguar, Mexican, 67. 
Jefferson, 214. 
Judicial department, 131. 
Jura-Trias system, 12. 

"Katy " System, 118. 

Kibbe, I. P., 81. 

Kildee, 70. 

Killdeer, or Kildeer Plover, 70. 

Kite, Mississippi, 69. 

Ladder-Backed Woodpecker, 69. 

Lafitte, Jean, 124. 

Lagoons, 18. 

Lakes, 32 ; on staked plains, 34. 

Land office, general, 183. 

Land plaster, 111. 



IXDKX 



231 



La Purissima Concepci6n Mission, 

164. 
Laredo, 4, 191 ; railroads, 191 ; 

schools, 192 ; shipments, 192. 
Lark Finch, or Lark Sparrow, 68. 
La Salle, 121. 
Lava, 8. 
Lead, 105. 

Legislative department, loO. 
Legislative meetings, lol. 
Libraries, 145. 
Lieutenant governor, 130. 
Life zones, 60. 
Lignite, 11, 96, 98; Santo Tomas 

field, 98. 
Lignite mining, localities of, 98. 
Lime, 106. 
Limestones for building purposes, 

108. 
Limestones, formation of, 7. 
Limonite, 103. 

Limpia or Davis mountains, 27. 
Little river, 31. 
Livermore, Mount, 27. 
Livestocks, statistics, 93. 
Lizards, 72 ; Fence, 73 ; Green, 72 ; 

Horned, 73 ; vScaly, 73 ; Six-Lined, 

74 ; Texan Rock, 73. 
Llano country, 105. 
Llano Estacado, 24 ; soils of, 30. 
Llano group, 14. 
Loblolly or swamp pine, 52. 
Long-leaf pine forests, 51 ; area of, 

51. 
Long's invasion, 124. 
Longview, 211. 
Louis XV, King, 122. 
Louisiana-Texas boundary, 123. 
Lower Sonoran zone, 61. 
Lumber, 51. 



Mc Kinney, 206. 

Magee's invasion, 123. 

Magnetite, 103. 

Main University, 144. 

Mallard, 71. 

Mammals of Texas, ijo. 

Manufacturing, 94. 

Manufacturing industries, 95. 

Marble, 8. 

Marble Falls, 34. 

Marlin, 213; deep well at, 214. 

Marshall, 5, 199. 

Marshall, Timpson and Sabine 
Pass Railway, 120. 

Massasauga, Edwards', 76. 

Matagorda peninsula, 17. 
Medical department. The Univer- 
sity of Texas, 144, 178. 
Medina, battle of the, 124. 
Meetings of legislature, 131. 
Memphis, El Paso and Pacific Rail- 
way, 113. 
Mercury, 104. 

Merriam, C. Hart, quoted, 64. 
Mesas, 27. 

Mesquite, spread of, 58. 
Metamorphic rocks, 6, 8. 
Metamorphism, 8. 
Mexican irritation, 125. 
Mexican population, 153. 
Mexican war, 129. 
Mills, cotton-seed-oil, 84. 
Milwaukee brick, 107. 
Mineral pitch, 102. 
Mineral resources, 96. 
Mineral springs, 38. 
Missions, 121 ; La Purissima Con- 
cepcidn, 164; San Antonio de 
Valero, 162; San Francisco 
de la Espada, 164 ; San Jos^ de 



232 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Aguayo, 104; San Juan de Cap- 
istrano, 164. 

Missouri, Kansas and Texas Rail- 
way, 118. 

Mitchell, J. D., cited, 75. 

Moccasin, Dry Land (Copperhead), 
75 ; Water or Stump-Tail, 76. 

Mocking Bird, 07. 

Mohr, Dr. Charles, quoted, 51, 52. 

Mollusk shells, 12. 

Mollusks, 81. 

Mottes, 58. 

Mount Emory, 27. 

Mount Livermore, 27. 

Mountains and basins, region of, 
25. 

Mountains, Chinati, 28; Chisos, 25; 
Corazones, 25 ; Davis, 27 ; Dela- 
ware, 13 ; Diablo, 13 ; Eagle, 28 ; 
Finlay, 28; Guadalupe, 13, 25; 
Hueco, 13, 28; Ord, 25; Quit- 
man, 28 ; Rosillos, 25 ; Santiago, 
25 ; Vieja, 28. 

Mourning Dove, 70. 

Mud Hen, 71. 

Mules, 93. 

Native population, 150. 

Natural gas, 102. 

Navasota, 209. 

Navasota river, 31. 

Neches river, 31. 

New York, Texas and Mexican 

Railway, 116. 
Nolan, Philip, 123. 
Non marine deposits, 8. 
Normal College, North Texas State, 

137. 
Normal and Industrial College, 

Prairie View, 138. 



Normal Institute, Sam Houston, 

135. 
Normal School, Southwest Texas, 

137. 
North Texas State Normal College, 

137. 
Northers, 44 ; blue, 45 ; dry, 45 ; 

wet, 45. 
Nueces river, 31, 32. 
Nuts, 88. 

Oat crop, 85. 

Oat-producing counties, 85. 

Oil (petroleum), 99. 

Oil at Batson, 102 ; at Beaumont, 
100; at Corsicana, 102, 196; at 
Humble, 102 ; at Sourlake, 102. 

Oil in Bexar county, 102 ; in Brown 
county, 102 ; in Clay county, 102 ; 
in Nacogdoches county, 102 ; in 
Travis county, 102. 

Oil fields, Beaumont, 100; Corsi- 
cana, 102, 196. 

Oil refineries, Corsicana, 102 ; 
Houston, 173 ; Port Arthur, 102 ; 
Powell, 102. 

Oklahoma City and Texas Rail- 
road, 119. 

Onions, 192. 

Onyx, golden, 110. 

Ooze, 7. 

Opal granite, 110. 

Opossum, Texas, 65. 

Orange, 209. 

Ord mountains, 25. 

Ordovician system, 13. 

Orphans' Home, Odd Fellows', 197 ; 
State, 148, 197. 

Oyster industry, 81. 

Oyster, Ram's-Horn, 12. 



INDEX 



233 



Padre island, 17. 

Paisano, 09. 

Palestine, 5, 198. 

Palm Sunday, 1836, massacre on, 

128. 
Paris, 5, 196. 
Paris and Great Northern Railroad, 

119. 
Patellina texana, 7. 
Peaches, 87, 88. 
Peanuts, 90. 
Pecan nuts, 88. 
Peccary or Wild Hog, 66. 
Pecos and Northern Texas Rail- 
way, 118. 
Pecos river, 32. 
Pecos River Railroad, 118. 
Pelecypods, 81. 
Pelican, 71. 
Penal institutions, 148. 
Peninsulas of Texas, 17. 
Penitentiaries, Huntsville, 148 ; 

Rusk, 148. 
Penrose, R. A. F., quoted, 58, 59. 
Permanent school fund, 134. 
Permian system, 13. 
Perpetual school fund, 134. 
Petroleum, 99. 

Pine forests, destruction of, 54. 
Plain, Coastal, 15. 
Plantation, state, 90. 
Plants of Texas, 49. 
Plateaus, Edwards, 23; Stockton, 23. 
Plateaus, drainage of, 32; region 

of, 22 ; vegetation of, 60. 
Plover, 71. 

Population, 149 ; colored, 150 ; ele- 
ments of, 150 ; foreign-born, 
153; native white, 150; prison, 
148. 



Population of San Antonio, 157. 

Port Arthur, 102. 

Post Oak country, 55. 

l*otato, Irish, 88, 

Poultry, 94. 

Prairie Dog, 66. 

Prairie plains, vegetation of, 60. 

Prairie View Normal and Industrial 

College, 138. 
Prairie Wolf, or Coyote, 67. 
Prairies, Black, 20 ; Grand, 20. 
Presidents of the Republic, 132. 
Pumice, 8. 

Quail, Texas, 70. 
Quartz, 6. 
Quartzite, 8. 

Quicksilver, 104 ; furnaces, 104 ; 
output, 104. 

Rabbit, 66. 

Raccoon, 67. 

Racer, 74. 

Railroad construction, 114. 

Railroad mileage, 115, 120. 

Railroad systems, 115. 

Railroads, pioneer, 112. 

Rainfall, 39; at Austin, 40; at 

Fort Clark, 42 ; at Fort Davis, 42 ; 

at Fort Elliott, 42 ; at El Paso, 

42 ; at Galveston, 40. 
Ramon, Captain Diego, 122. 
Rattlesnake, Banded, 77 ; Diamond, 

77; Dog-Faced, 78; Green, 78; 

Ground, 76 ; Prairie, 78 ; Texas, 

77. 
Readmission of Texas, 129. 
Recent Rock system, 10. 
"Red Beds," 13. 
Redbird. 68. 



234 



THE GKOGKAPIIY OF TEXAS 



Red river, 3, 31. 

Red River, Texas and Southern 
Railway, 119. 

Red Snapper, 80. 

Reformatory, State, 148. 

Regions, Central basin, 21 ; Gulf 
slope, 15; mountains and basins, 
25 ; plateaus, 22. 

Relief, Central basin, 22 ; classifica- 
tion of, 15; Texas, 15. 

Representatives, House of, 130. 

Reptiles, 72. 

Republic, Presidents of, 132. 

Republic of Texas, 128 

Revolution, Texas, 126. 

Rice belt, 86. 

Rice crop, 87. 

Rice-producing sections, 86. 

Rio Grande, 3, 29; variations in 
volume, 32. 

Rio Grande plain, vegetation of, 59. 

Rivers, gradient of, 32 ; navigation 
of, 32. 

Road-Runner, 69. 

Roberts, Governor O. M., 133, 135. 

Rockdale, 98, 216. 

Rock Island System, 119. 

Rock salt, 7, 105. 

Rock systems, 9. 

Rocks, altered, 6, 8; classifica- 
tion of, 6; igneous, 6, 7 ; meta- 
morphic, 6, 8 ; sedimentary, 6 ; 
Texas, 8. 

Rocks of the Black Prairie, 12 ; of 
the Grand Prairie, 12. 

Rockwall county, area, 4, 222. 

Rocky mountain, cedars, 56 ; drain- 
age of, 32 ; pines, 56. 

Rosillo creek, battle at, 124. 

Rosillos mountains, 25. 



Sabine and Galveston Bay Railway, 

114. 
Sabine lake, 3. 
Sabine river, 31. 
Saint-Denis, 121, 122. 
Saint Edward's College, 145, 185. 
Saint Louis, Brownsville and 

Mexico Railway, 120. 
Saint Louis, San Francisco and 

Texas Railway, 119. 
Saint Louis Southwestern Railway, 

117. 
Saline, near Palestine, 105, 198 ; 

in Van Zandt county, 105. 
Salt, occurrence of, 105. 
Salt basin, 29, 34. 
Sam Houston Normal Institute, 135. 
San Angelo, 215. 
San Antonio, 4, 157 ; missions near, 

162; parks of, 160; population of , 

157, 158 ; public buildings at, 158 ; 

schools of, 160 ; railroads of, 162. 
San Antonio and Aransas Pass 

Railway, 119. 
San Antonio and Mexican Gulf 

Railroad, 113. 
San Antonio de Valero, mission of, 

162. 
San Antonio river, 160. 
Sands, 11. 
Sandstone, 6. 
Sandstones for building purposes, 

109. 
San Filipe de Austin, 125. 
San Francisco de la Espada, mis- 
sion of, 164. 
San Jacinto, battle of, 128. 
San Jos^ de Aguay o, mission of, 164, 
San Juan de Capistrano, mission of, 

164. 



INDEX 



235 



Santa Anna, 125, 12(5, 128. 

Santa Fe System, 118. 

Santiago mountains, 2'). 

Santiago peak, 27. 

Santo Tomas coal field, •.»8. 

Schists, 8, 

School funds, available, 105 ; per- 
manent, 134; perpetual, 134. 

Schools, affiliated, 134. 

Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher, (31 ». 

Screech Owl, Texas, 60. 

Sea deposits, 8. 

Sears, Dr. Barnas, 135. 

Sedimentary rock.s, 6. 

Semiarid conditions, 30. 

Semitropical or Gulf strip, 62. 

Senate, state, 130. 

Serpentine, 110. 

Settlement, first, 121. 

Shale, 6. 

Sheep, 93. 

Sherman, 4, 103 ; cotton-seed-oil 
mill, 193 ; educational institu- 
tions, 104 ; industries, 193 ; rail- 
roads, 103. 

" Shinneries," 56. 

Short-leaf pine forests, 52. 

Shrimp, 81. 

Sierra Diablo, 27. 

Silver, 105. 

Silver mine, 105. 

Simmons College, 145, 213. 

Skunk, 67. 

Slates, 8. 

Smelters, 180. 

Smithville. 216. 

Snake-Killer, 60. 

Snakes, 74; Black, 74; Bull, 74 
Coral, 75; Diamond Water, 75 
Harlequin, 75; Hog-Nosed, 74 



Pilot, 74 ; Say's Garter, 75 ; Say's 
King, 74. See also Coj^perhead 
and Rattlesnake. 

Snakes, poisonous, 75. 

Snipe, 71. 

Snow, 44. 

Snowy Heron, 71. 

Soils, 20 ; Black Prairie, 20 ; Central 
basin, 30 ; Coastal plain, 20 ; Ed- 
wards plateau, 30; forested area, 
20; Grand prairie, 20; Grimes 
county, 20; Llano Estacado, 30; 
residual, 20 ; transported, 20, 30 ; 
Washington county, 20. 

Sorghum, 00. 

Southern Kansas Railway, 118. 

Southern Pacific Railway, 113. 

Southern Pacific System, 115. 

Southwest Texas Normal School, 
137. 

Southwestern University, 145, 214. 

Spanish rule, 122. 

Speckle-Check Woodpecker, 60. 

Spindle-Top Heights, 100. 

Springs, 38 ; Dalby, 38 ; Hynson's 
Iron mountain, 38, 109 ; Mineral- 
wells, 38; Rosborough, 38, 100; 
Wootan Wells, 38. 

Squirrel, 66. 

Staked plains, 24 ; rocks of, 8. 

Staked plains formations, 10. 

State library, 147. 

State of Texas, 1, 120; comparative 
size of, 3. 

Stejneger, Leonhard, quoted, 76, 
77, 78. 

Stock raising, 00. 

Stockton plateau, 23 ; rocks of, 8. 

Storm at Galveston, 46; at Indi- 
anola, 46. 



236 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Strata, 6 ; in Gulf slope, 10. 

Strawberries, 88. 

Sugarland, 90. 

Sulphur, 100. 

Sulphur Fork of Red river, 31. 

Sulphur springs, 210. 

Sunshine in Texas, 48. 

Swedish population, 154. 

Swift, tree, 73. 

Swine, 93. 

Systems, Archaean, 14 ; Cambrian, 
13; Carboniferous, 13; Creta- 
ceous, 12 ; Eocene, 11 ; Jura- 
Trias, 12; Ordovician, 13; Per- 
mian, 13 ; Recent and Neocene, 
10. 

Taylor, 207. 

Taylor formation, 12. 

Teal, 71. 

Temperature of Texas, 43. 

Temple, 5, 200. 

Terrell, 5, 201. 

Texan Bird of Paradise, 69. 

Texarkana, 5, 203. 

Texarkana and Fort Smith Rail- 
way, 120. 

Texas, area, 3 ; attractive features 
of, 1 ; boundaries of, 2 ; cities 
and towns of, 4, 157, 196, 205; 
counties of, 4, 217 ; forests of, 
49 ; governors of, 133 ; political 
divisions of, 4 ; republic of, 128 ; 
rocks of, 8, 9; state of, 1, 129; 
temperature of, 43 ; timber of, 
48, 58 ; wealth of, 2. 

Texas Central Railroad, 120. 

Texas Christian University, 145, 187. 

Texas Mexican Railway, 120. 

Texas Midland Railroad, 120. 



Texas and New Orleans Railroad, 
114, 116. 

Texas and Pacific Coal Company, 
96. 

Texas and Pacific Railway, 117. 

Texas Railroad and Navigation 
Company, 112. 

Texas, Sabine Valley and North- 
western Railway, 120. 

Texas Southern Railway, 120. 

Texas Woodpecker, 69. 

Toad, Horned, 73. 

Tobacco, 90. 

Tomatoes, 88. 

Tortoise, Painted Box, 72. 

Transition zone, 61. 

Trans-Pecos forest growth, 56. 

Travis, Colonel William B., 128. 

Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad, 
120. 

Trinity river, 31 ; distributaries of, 
17. 

Trinity sands, 37. 

Trinity University, 145, 207. 

Tropical region, 62. 

Turkeys, 94. 

Turtle Dove, 70. 

Turtles, Louisiana Mud, 72 ; Snap- 
ping, 72; vSoft-Shell, 72. 

Tyler, 5, 198. 

University of Texas, 143 ; endow- 
ment of, 144 ; library of, 148. 
Upper Sonoran zone, 61. 

Vacancies in offices of judges, 132. 

Vegetables, 87. 

Vegetation, 49 ; of coast prairie, 58; 
of plateaus, 60 ; of prairie plains, 
60; of Rio Grande plain, 59. 



INDEX 



287 



Victoria, 208. 
Vieja mountains, 28. 
Vulture, Turkey, 70. 

Waco, 4, 20, 186 ; industries of, 
186; railroads of, 187; schools 
and colleges of, 187. 

War, Civil, 129. 

Washington county, soil of, 29. 

Washington County Railroad, 114. 

Watermelons, 88. 

Water power, 34 ; from Colorado 
river, 34 ; from Guadalupe river, 
34 ; at Marble Falls, 34 ; at San 
Marcos, 34. 

Waters, surface and underground, 
31. 

Wax, 94. 



Waxahachie, 207. 

Weatherford, 205. 

Weatherford, Mineral Wells and 
Northwestern Railway, 117. 

Wet northers, 45. 

Wheat crop, 84. 

Wheat-producing counties, 85. 

Wichita Falls Railway, 119. 

Wichita Falls and Oklahoma Rail- 
way, 119. 

Wilson Snipe, 71. 

Winds, 45. 

Wood, petrified, 12. 

Wool growing, 94. 

Wool-producing counties, 94. 

Yoakum, 212. 
Ysleta, 121, 



SEP 1 19C5 



